Yugen
by Little Miss Bunny
Summary: In one world, Tsuna sacrificed his life to save the Arcobaleno. As soon as he drew his last breath, he opened his eyes again to see beaten students cowering in front of him and a bloody hammer in his hand. Arco27. ParallelUniverse!AU. Doctor!Tsuna. Dark themes.
1. Prologue

_Yugen (n.)_ – a profound awareness of the universe that triggers a deep emotional response

* * *

Decimo had failed—but there had already been signs that everything was wrong in the first place.

Verde never warned them of weapons or the Millefiore members on site. ( _Tsuna could still feel his cold hands in his._ )

Skull never arrived at their checkpoint. ( _Tsuna could only find his broken helmet on the side of the road._ )

Viper's illusions over their hideouts weakened considerably before vanishing altogether. ( _Tsuna could still see his mangled body in his dreams._ )

Colonello never responded to Lal Mirch's messages. ( _Tsuna could only stare at the very alive child underneath the teen's charred body._ )

Fon couldn't be reached no matter how many times Hibari threatened him. ( _Tsuna could still see the dark blood on the other's tattered, red garb._ )

Bermuda had disappeared with the rest of Vindice for reasons unknown. ( _Tsuna could only stare at his orange pacifier and regret never helping the other man like how he helped them._ )

Reborn never picked up the phone. ( _Tsuna could have answered him an hour before if Decimo hadn't decided to go off on his own to meet Byakuran._ )

"Tsuna," a soft voice said, snapping him out of his reverie.

Tsuna turned his head slowly to see Lal Mirch standing by the doorway, her face only stoic under the hallway's dim lighting. The red of her eyes wasn't bright anymore. The two were in an underground bunker that Vongola had rarely used, which was now packed with dwindling survivors and solemn guardians—Tsuna wished everything was different.

"I just wanted to check on you."

Tsuna could barely think. He caught the radiation poisoning much later than the others, but had still fallen victim to it nonetheless after collecting their pacifiers. Even though the Arcobaleno curse was broken, it still lingered while their bodies adjusted to growing back to their original forms. The others never made it past sixteen while Tsuna was just barely reaching seventeen on his own.

His throat burned when he spoke, "Thank you…"

He didn't even notice Lal Mirch by his bedside until she raised him with a strong, firm hand and placed a glass of water against his chapped lips.

"Drink, Tsuna."

Tsuna slowly drank the water like a docile child. A shuddering but content sigh left his lips as Lal Mirch slowly eased him back onto the bed.

"How…are you?"

Lal Mirch smiled but it didn't reach her eyes. She held his hand, gently rubbing his pale knuckles with her thumb.

"You don't have to talk, Tsuna," she said in a low voice, carrying a chair over to sit on.

"It's…quiet."

"We don't want to disturb you."

Tsuna just closed his eyes, releasing a shaky breath. The water was only a temporary relief for him. The medication was useless at this point. His whole body still ached when he breathed, which was always. It hurt. Everything hurt…

"I…like noise."

Lal Mirch smiled a bit with a touch of fondness in her eyes. "Yeah. I admit, it's pretty quiet."

Tsuna opened his eyes, a struggling feat nowadays. He knew his time was coming, but he had to hold out a little longer for them—all of them.

"I miss…them."

Lal Mirch tensed but never let go of his hand. Sagging in her chair, she looked down at his bedsheets. "Me, too."

"You came… News?"

Lal Mirch nodded. "They found it and it's destroyed now. Mukuro and Hibari made sure of it."

"Back…?"

"Yeah, they came back."

Tsuna's lips twitched. It even hurt to smile. "Good…"

A small warmth buzzed in his chest despite the pain of moving his other hand up to his neck. His own pacifier rested on his palm, his grip dangerously loose. Still, it had its orange hue, even if it was duller now.

Tsuna chuckled but it sounded more like a wheezing cough. "They're like…Reborn and…Colonello…"

Lal Mirch's grip tightened around his cold hand. "Tsuna, you don't have to talk."

"I need…them."

Lal Mirch understood—bless her. She carefully gathered the other pacifiers from the nightstand beside her and placed them one-by-one in his shaking hands.

"No…time."

Lal Mirch flinched, her eyes widening. She looked terrified, so terrified it made Tsuna's heart ache. But she wouldn't be alone. They'd come back—they all will.

"Don't say that, Tsuna," she said, her voice shaking. "The scientists—They're still working on the cure. They're almost done. They have a good feeling about it."

"No time…"

Tsuna's breathing became labored and raspy; small shocks of pain coursed through his chest, rippling through his lungs down to his toes. Everything hurt…but it would be okay now.

He just had to concentrate. No matter how close he was on death's doors, he had a chance—and it was a chance he was willing to take.

"Lal…don't cry."

Tears streamed down Lal Mirch's cheeks and Tsuna had the urge to wipe them away, but he was too weak and he had no _time_.

"I'm not crying, you idiot," she said, wiping her eyes. "I just—I just came back from the kitchen and…" She choked down a sob. "Stop saying bullshit. You're not going anywhere."

"Don't cry…"

"I'm not _crying_."

"You'll see…them again."

Lal Mirch's breath hitched. "Wh—What are you talking about? Tsuna, what do you mean?"

She gaped when Tsuna's orange pacifier started to glow. His hands shaking, he swallowed hard to brace through the pain. He could do this. He had time.

"Tsuna, what are you _doing_?"

Muted footsteps clambered outside the hallways, coming closer and closer. Still, Tsuna pulled what flames he had left and slowly pushed them into his pacifier. There was time.

"Lal-san!"

Someone—or two or three—pulled the screaming woman away. Tsuna already missed the warmth of her hand. A bead of sweat slid down the side of his head. More, he needed to put in more.

Soon, the other pacifiers started to glow. It was faint, but the light gradually grew brighter and brighter, casting an almost holy glimmer on his dark room. The colors blurred in his vision. A heavy weight lifted from his chest. They were going to come back… He'd bring them back.

The others' confused and panicked voices overlapped in a dizzying haze in his ears, Lal Mirch's piercing cry the loudest. She'd understand. They all would. He had to do this. They were needed here.

The last trickling of his flames left his body, leaving him hollow. Tsuna's eyes fluttered. Maybe, he could see them one more time. Just one more time…to say goodbye, to say thank you, to say "I love you" (because he knew how it felt when he didn't get one before he could reach them).

But all he saw was a fuzzy but beautiful array of colorful lights before he slowly relaxed against the bed. Sinking—he was sinking now.

As darkness creeped in his vision, his eyes refusing to open again— _one more time, please,_ he thought—the last thing he heard was, " _Tsuna!_ "

He smiled much easier now. That would do, he supposed.

Then, he let go.

* * *

He didn't know how long he sank. Was this what death felt like? Was he going to hell? Well, he wasn't exactly a saint.

"Tsunayoshi…"

Wait, he knew that voice. Where did he hear that before? It was faint, only a whisper, but he still heard it.

"You can have one more chance, Tsunayoshi."

A chance? A chance to do what? There was nothing for him to do anymore. He had already taken it and got what he wanted. They were alive again—that was enough.

"You can see them again."

See them…?

"You can."

A hollow ache rippled through Tsuna as if the air in his lungs was sucked out too quickly. He…He wanted…

"Will you?"

Would he…?

"You don't have much time. Decide now."

He…wanted it. Another chance. He wanted to see them again. He wanted…to see them again…

"Find me, Tsunayoshi, and you will know how."

A sudden burst of light enveloped him, and soon, he emerged.

* * *

The heavy scent of iron assaulted his nose. Something heavy was lifted above his head but that wasn't what caught his attention. It was the four cowering children in front of him. They wore middle school uniforms.

Tsuna froze.

They gaped at him, faces pale and bruised. One was nursing a terribly angled arm while another was trying hard to not look intimidated but failing horribly.

Tsuna dropped whatever he held in his hand, the loud clang making everyone flinch. It was a hammer—why was he holding a bloody hammer? It was then he realized the abuse on his own thin and much smaller body now, the dull ache pulsing in numerous limbs. His ribs were pain—four were broken. His left leg supported most of his weight; his right ankle was sprained. His mind was hazy as he tried to remember what happened.

He…He had brought them back. He sank then…there was a voice.

He stumbled when four blurs of white and yellow dashed past him. His stiff and aching knees gave out beneath him, sending him to the floor. He hissed when a jolt of pain shot through his spine.

All Tsuna could do was stare at his shaking hands, which were wrapped in dirty bandages.

This…wasn't what he wanted.

* * *

 **A/N …**

 **:^)**

 **So, I blame the song "Surrender" by Natalie Taylor. Beautiful song by the way, but it let a plot bunny escape. :^(**

 **(Also, I wanted to see more Arco27 because who doesn't like Arco27? Ahahaha…)**

 **Funny thing is, I was working on "Our Road to Paradise" until "Surrender" came up on my playlist and voila! Arco27 lovers rejoice! Plus, it's a parallel universe AU, so there's that.**

 **To clear things up a little, the Arcobaleno curse was broken in the universe Tsuna originally came from with the canon method, but I kind of switched things up and made the curse linger until they reached their original forms. I don't know if that makes sense but it was something to get the radiation to work, haha… And the "it" Lal Mirch was referring to was the machine that was leaking the Anti Tri-ni-set Radiation.**

 **Um, so yeah…**

 **Thank you for reading! Haha. See you in the next chapter…?**

 **Have a lovely day~**

 **Little Miss Bunny**

 **Revised: 4/15/2018**


	2. The Second Chance

" _The two most powerful warriors are patience and time."_ – Leo Tolstoy

* * *

It must've been hours since Tsuna became aware of his surroundings, and yet there was still daylight.

He looked around mindlessly, trying to gain his bearings, to _understand_ , when the smell of ramen wafted in his nose. Blinking slowly, he reached out to steady himself against the wall, wincing from the pain in his right ankle. Yeah, definitely sprained.

His mind reeled while he tried to deduce what had happened in the span of, what, ten minutes? He was dying from the radiation, had sacrificed his life to revive the Arcobaleno…

He stiffened when some of their dead bodies flashed in his mind, but he shook his head. They were alive, he brought them back. He _heard_ them.

The voice… Yeah, he heard a voice when he sank. It told him…that he had a second chance, to find it.

Tsuna glanced at the bloody hammer on the floor. Those boys—they were _middle school_ students. What the hell was he—this person—doing? Was he like them, too? He looked down, grimacing at his bloodstained and torn uniform. It was the same as theirs'. Well, at least he wasn't some 50-year-old psycho or something.

Looking around, Tsuna found a backpack strewn across the floor, most likely his or whoever he was. He limped towards it and picked it up, wincing from just moving, before picking up the hammer and stuffing it inside his bag. Whatever happened, he wasn't going to leave any evidence behind. The pain that rippled through his frail body would've been nothing to him before, but he was much weaker now, smaller. It was both aggravating and pitiful.

The smell of ramen still lingered in the air. Tsuna walked slowly as to not agitate his wounds. He sensed some broken ribs, a sprained ankle, and tons of bruises and cuts, old and new. God, he was going to need tons of stitches.

When he finally left the alleyway, he realized that the streets and wide roads were empty. It was around late afternoon too, so it was odd that the small town would be so bare. He never liked empty places, always gravitating towards seas of people whenever he could if he didn't get a call. That made him feel alive, present, _anchored_.

Now, he just felt hollow.

Tsuna leaned on the tall buildings for support while he approached the peculiar ramen stand a few feet away. His stomach growled and he cursed under his breath—what was this person feeding himself? _Air_? He felt like a fucking balloon.

He didn't bother to carry the backpack, dragging it instead. It was too heavy for his aching shoulder. Stopping short in front of the ramen stand, Tsuna stared at the still shop curtains. They were red and all the seats were empty. Still, there was something cooking in there and he didn't sense any danger, even though the place reeked of Mist Flames. Huh, so the person he was now had Flames, too. Why couldn't he reach them though…?

"Excuse me," he muttered, pushing a thin curtain to the side.

He stopped short. His voice…it was raspy from screaming—he was 100% convinced that _this_ person was the true victim and not those boys—but he recognized it anywhere. It was his own voice, his much _younger_ voice.

"Welcome, Tsunayoshi," a calm voice said. "Please, take a seat."

A white-haired man with a plain green kimono and glasses stood behind the counter, a cup of tea in front of him. Tsuna didn't recognize him, but he recognized his voice.

"You…"

The man just nodded. "Yes, me. Please, sit. Would you like anything?"

There was something familiar about the man, but Tsuna couldn't place it. It was an odd feeling and he wasn't sure if he could trust him or not. Shaking his head, Tsuna said, "No, thank you. But…water would be nice."

The man nodded again and moved to the back while Tsuna sat down on a stool, wincing from the ache in his ribs. Thank God, none of them pierced his lungs or he'd be screwed. He should definitely go to the hospital or something. He took a moment to look around. The place looked like any other ramen stand, nothing too suspicious, aside from the Mist Flames. His heart constricted; having been from Japan, he found himself missing his home country. Though ramen wasn't his favorite dish, it brought back what fond memories he had while he was there, even if it was short-lived before he was shipped to Italy—literally.

When the mysterious owner returned with a glass of water, Tsuna didn't drink it right away despite how dry his throat was. He picked it up and sniffed, not caring how rude it looked. He wasn't going to risk dying again.

"There's no point in killing you when I just brought you back from death, Tsunayoshi," the man said. "Please drink."

Tsuna frowned. "I hope this is real."

The man's lips twitched. "As real as it can be."

After a few more minutes, Tsuna deemed it safe and downed the cup of water, which ultimately soothed his throat. He let out a small content sigh and mumbled his thanks. The man just nodded politely.

"Who are you?" Tsuna said, his voice a little less hoarse.

"You can call me Kawahira."

Tsuna narrowed his eyes. "Do I know you? You seem…very familiar."

Kawahira smiled slightly, but his face conveyed nothing. It was an unnerving expression regardless, if Tsuna could call it that. "Perhaps, perhaps not. Familiarity is a fickle thing."

"I don't like not knowing who you are when you know things who I am. You don't talk straight."

A flash of amusement, and strangely, fondness passed in Kawahira's eyes. "Your honesty is still refreshing. I'm glad."

Tsuna narrowed his eyes. He opened his mouth then thought better of it; he had the feeling that Kawahira would probably throw some vague answers in his face again. At least, Viper was more up front, even if it cost money (in Tsuna's case, it was food and crates of strawberry milk, but he digressed).

"Why am I here?"

"I brought you here for a second chance."

"Why?"

"Because I wanted to."

Tsuna blinked. That…wasn't what he expected. He thought Kawahira would say something sappy about living life to the fullest again or something. However, the man didn't seem like the sentimental type. Still, his motives weren't clear.

Kawahira smiled again. "It was one of my weakest moments, frankly. I rarely give second chances to those unless they deserved it. Still, I wouldn't give it anyway."

"And…I deserved it?"

"I believe so. Don't you?"

Frowning, Tsuna shifted in his seat, careful not to agitate his wounds. "I don't know."

"I'll be frank with you, Tsunayoshi—you are both dead and alive. You sacrificed your life to save the Arcobaleno in your world, but you're here in your other self. You're essentially yourself again but not exactly. The Tsunayoshi here is merely your physical host, now with your conscience and your memories."

Tsuna furrowed his brows. It was a calm, collected explanation, much like how he explained things to his patients. Tsuna should be panicking or screaming at how he had just taken someone's else life from them, even if it was technically himself but not really himself; however, Tsuna wasn't the kindest person in the world. Sure, he had his moments, but he was still human, and humans were selfish. It was a trait that even gentle Fon showed sometimes.

His heart ached when he remembered the Chinese martial-artist—how they'd meditate, talk quietly over tea after a long night, and pass out on an extra bed to forget the world for an hour or two. Curling his hands around his empty cup, Tsuna released a shaky breath. Though he did feel a bit guilty for taking over this Tsuna's life without as much as a hello, it was…for the best (for himself, anyways).

"Can I really see them again?" he said quietly.

Kawahira sipped his tea, his eyes never leaving Tsuna's face. "Yes, but there are things you should know about this world." Tsuna raised a brow, making Kawahira smile. "I would not leave you to wander this world blindly, Tsunayoshi. I am not that cruel nor is time that forgiving. You do not belong here, but this Tsunayoshi did not have the best prospects either."

"He i— _was_ bullied."

Kawahira nodded. "There's that, but he's also a viable candidate for Vongola Decimo. Primo is an ancestor on his father's side."

Tsuna tensed. Decimo's corpse flashed in his mind along with the utter destruction the Millefiore had brought upon the Vongola mansion and their bases. Blood, so much blood. Colonello's charred body, Viper's mutilated remains. He gripped his cup tighter to make his hands stop shaking. If Decimo had listened to them in the first place, if Nono hadn't threatened Reborn with Tsuna's life to tutor the boy, if they hadn't left…

He shook his head. They would've gotten involved anyways—it was inevitable.

"Don't worry. This world's Tsunayoshi—his father, Iemitsu, promised to step down from his leading role in CEDEF for the Decimo title to avoid the possibility of having Tsunayoshi involved with the mafia. Currently, Enrico and Massimo, Nono's sons, are still alive. You are free to avoid that life if you wish, but I cannot guarantee how things will play out in the future. Your presence is already a small ripple in this time frame."

Tsuna looked down at his poorly-bandaged hands. The boy was rather clumsy, he deduced plainly. "But are they still involved?" His throat constricted. "Are they…still the Arcobaleno?"

Kawahira didn't blink. "Yes, they are. In all the infinite parallel worlds in the universe, the Arcobaleno are still needed and the Tri-ni-set continues to function as it is."

"I broke the curse before," Tsuna said tightly. "I can break it again."

Kawahira, surprisingly, didn't protest. He merely nodded his head. "You can if you want to. I will not stop you. However, they won't know who you are. You're starting fresh here. This world is not like yours."

Tsuna swallowed a small lump in his throat. "I can do it."

His nerves tingled, but the small flutter in his heart managed to appease them just as quickly. He could see them again. That was all he wanted—everything else was secondary. He could do this, come hell or high waters. He wasn't going to let this chance go to waste.

Kawahira stayed quiet for a moment before nodding. "I chose this world because this Tsunayoshi had lost all hope today. How you choose to live your new life here is up to you. This timeline will run differently now that you've taken over the original Tsunayoshi, but I trust that you can navigate it without much assistance. This is all I can give you, nothing more and nothing less."

Tsuna's head spun from the prospect of his new life, the possibility of meeting them again, the second chance to live the life he (maybe) had wanted. He could do it—he _had_ to.

"I'm not the Sky Arcobaleno, am I?" Tsuna muttered in a daze. "What _can_ I do? I don't—I'm too young, too weak, too small…"

"You are now Sawada Tsunayoshi, son of Sawada Nana and Iemitsu. Primo's blood runs through your veins." Kawahira smiled almost mysteriously. "It's not a matter of what _can_ you do, it's a matter of what _will_ you do. You grew up with nothing, Tsunayoshi. I trust you can make do with what you have now. It's rather fortunate, don't you think?"

Though Kawahira was an enigmatic man with unclear intentions, Tsuna could only be grateful for what the man was doing for him. Kawahira was really sticking his neck out for him to give him this second chance. He'd think about the complex matters later.

"Is there anything else I should know?"

Kawahira just smiled. "Don't waste this chance I gave you, Tsunayoshi. There won't be another one."

* * *

It was strange to know that there was a home to go to and a mother waiting for him (though it did made him feel shittier for taking over this world's Tsuna so abruptly).

The former Sky Arcobaleno had grown up as an orphan in the Osaka slums before he was found by a gruff man named Goro, who was deeply entrenched in the black market. Not the best parts of his life, but Tsuna had to start somewhere, right?

He shook his head. It was no good to be stuck in the past. He had to pick up his chin and move _forward_.

At least, Kawahira had been nice enough to bring him home and take away the bloody hammer before vanishing with his ramen stand. Tsuna had a feeling that the man might be more powerful than Viper, and he didn't know what to think of that.

When Tsuna walked through the small gates of a modest-looking home, he couldn't help but tremble. He tried to convince himself that it was from his wounds, but it was really from the sudden anxiety of meeting a woman he didn't know—a mother who wouldn't know that her son didn't exist anymore.

He gritted his teeth. Damn it, _this_ was what he was nervous about? He was— _had_ been an underground doctor who restrained dangerous (flailing) men and cut them open for a living, and _this_ was what got him terrified?

No.

Fourteen or not, Tsuna was, in essence, a _man_. If Reborn, Colonello, hell, even Lal Mirch saw him like this, they'd probably shoot him with so many (rubber) bullets, it'd make his head spin.

Straightening himself and ignoring the ache in his body, Tsuna unlocked the door with the keys he found in his pocket and pushed it open. The lights were on and someone was humming in the kitchen. The smell of food made Tsuna's mouth water. Toeing off his shoes, he mused on how to greet his…mother when someone shrieked. He froze.

" _Tsuna_!"

Tsuna could only gape when a woman with short brown hair dropped whatever she was holding and dashed towards him from the kitchen. Fuck, he forgot that he looked like utter shit.

"What _happened_?" the woman said, fussing over him. "Who _did_ this to you?"

Tsuna opened his mouth and closed it, his tongue suddenly heavy and thick. He didn't know what to say. He was definitely unprepared for this. He should've asked Kawahira more about this Tsuna's life. And the man said he'd do fine—yeah, this was _totally_ fine.

Shit.

"I—I—"

"I'm taking you to the hospital."

There was no room for argument and Tsuna could only let the woman drag him to her car.

At least…she wasn't a terrible mother.

* * *

Tsuna ended up staying in the hospital for three weeks.

How this kid managed to live to fourteen was beyond him.

His mother—Nana, his weary mind supplied—never left his side once he was admitted, which he found to be a relief. He hated being alone, and being stuck in a quiet hospital room would've drove him insane. Nana had drilled him with questions about what happened, but all he could say was that he didn't remember, which wasn't too far from the truth.

The doctor had said something about trauma and temporary memory loss, but Tsuna didn't really listen to what he was saying. He was too busy thinking of ways on how to meet _them_ again. Plus, he tried to piece this Tsuna's life together so he wouldn't fuck up in front of Nana again, but he couldn't really come up with much unless he peeked in the kid's room or something.

It wasn't too hard staying quiet though. Nana didn't seem too bothered by it, but this Tsuna must've been a quiet kid if her constant (and lonely) chattering was any indication. She was a nice woman though, and pretty sharp despite her rather oblivious appearance, though he wasn't sure if it was her motherly instincts or own nature. She still wore her wedding ring, a simple but pretty band of small diamonds.

Poor kid—those boys must've pushed him really hard to make him finally snap and turn the tables on them. A part of Tsuna was kind of glad the kid did that, so he made it his own personal vendetta to make the ones who messed with this Tsuna pay. He could do at least that much for the kid.

When Tsuna was released from the hospital, Nana finally breached the topic of moving elsewhere after the school officials expelled him. Pity since he wanted to test his hand-eye coordination on their bodies with a rusty scalpel. Apparently, this Tsuna and Nana lived in a small, obscure town called Namimori, which was the same place his Decimo had lived in his world. Tsuna wasn't sure if he'd encounter the boy again or any of his guardians—he only knew so much about them after all; he had his _own_ family to think of—but he hoped that they didn't cross paths.

"It's up to you, Tsuna," Nana said quietly, turning off the engine of her car. It was a nice and small silver Honda. Must be from Iemitsu's paychecks since Nana didn't work; though, this did make Tsuna wonder if she was privy to her son's sufferings or her husband's occupation. "But…I really want you to consider it. I think it'll be good for you, for both of us."

"Okay."

Nana blinked. "What?"

Tsuna shifted in his seat, still uncomfortable with her affection. "I said okay." He looked into Nana's eyes, which were a light shade of brown, almost caramel. He could see why Iemitsu was so taken with her. "We can move."

He tensed when Nana hugged and held onto his thin frame as if he'd disappear any second. Tears soon stained his shirt, and all he could do was pat her back and let her cry on his shoulder.

 _What a lonely woman,_ he thought.

Hushing her gently, Tsuna hummed a lullaby he sang to Viper whenever he was plagued with night terrors. This body's tongue wasn't attuned to Italian, which he vowed to learn again soon. At least, he had his mind intact.

When Nana finally pulled away, sniffling, Tsuna reached out to brush away her tears, making her widen her eyes. He wondered if he just breached a line and almost pulled his hand away if Nana hadn't grabbed it and held it tenderly in her own.

"I'm sorry," Tsuna blurted out.

 _I'm sorry I'm not your son, I'm sorry you're suffering, I'm sorry for making you leave the place you call home, I'm sorry for killing your Tsuna, I'm sorry…_

Nana smiled at him so gently, so kindly, it made his heart ache. She reminded him of Luce, the sweet patisserie who had given him shelter when he wandered all alone and lost in the streets of Palermo.

"I should be the one sorry, Tsuna," she said. "I couldn't protect you. I let things go too far…"

"It's okay, Mama."

He flinched when the word slipped so carelessly. That was what he called Luce, or rather what she made him call her. Nana stared at him for a couple of seconds, making him fidget. He tried hard not to look away.

Suddenly, she smiled, pure joy illuminating her pretty eyes. "Thank you." She rested her forehead against his, and the genuine love in her eyes made Tsuna want to look away. He couldn't. "Thank you. You're too kind, my sweet Tsuna."

The now young teen closed his eyes to keep his own tears at bay. He quietly apologized to the kid.

 _Let me savor this moment for a few more seconds,_ he thought. _Just a few more seconds…_

* * *

They ended up moving to Kokuyo, a district in Tokyo.

It was a rather nice place and close to the city if anything. Nana brightened up when Tsuna looked around their modest apartment in approval, taking in the clean floors and nice kitchen. She didn't say anything when he chose the room with the largest window that overlooked the bustling streets and hectic traffic.

When Tsuna helped the moving men carry in the boxes, Nana had fussed over him as if he'd break, which, after dropping a box of simple _stationary_ , wasn't wrong. He braced through it with gritted teeth, already making a mental exercise routine to toughen up. This kid was _weak_ and he wouldn't let that stand, not if he could help it. He wasn't going to be a liability when they meet. He had to be ready. Plus, he missed his old body and being _healthy_.

After they arranged their stuff inside the cozy space, Nana bought some packed bento from a convenience store for late lunch. She blinked a couple of times at Tsuna's voracious appetite, but smiled nonetheless, confirming that the kid rarely ate. Tsuna made sure not to eat too quickly though or else he would've puked. God, he was going to have to go through so many hurdles to bring this body into shape.

Basking in the city's buzz in the background, Tsuna closed his eyes to imprint the sound into his memory, which he realized took a bit longer than necessary. Clumsy, slow, weak—how _did_ the kid live this long?

"Do you like it here, Tsu-kun?"

Tsuna opened his eyes to meet Nana's inquiring, hopeful gaze. Ever since he called her Mama, she insisted that she liked the sound of it and got into the habit of calling him "Tsu-kun", which he didn't mind at all. It was…nice.

He nodded. "I do."

Nana smiled. "I'm glad." She looked down at her half-finished bento. "You look…happier. I couldn't ask for anything more."

Tsuna glanced around the kitchen, staring almost wistfully at the clean stove and oven. He had cooked for Goro and his men since none of them could, and found it an enjoyable hobby. He wasn't sure if this body was equipped for the kitchen—he had tripped five times on fucking _air_ within the span of seven minutes—but he wasn't going to let that stop him. He missed keeping his hands busy, the mindlessness of working with something, _anything_.

Verde and Fon were the only ones allowed in the kitchen, more so with Verde since he was a rather excellent cook despite rarely eating much himself. Cooking was a science and science was something he excelled at—Tsuna could work with that logic. Whenever he cooked with Fon, it was exciting to learn about Chinese cuisine, so he was also an easy partner.

"Mama," Tsuna suddenly said, "I want to learn how to cook."

Nana, for the umpteenth time, looked at him in surprise. "Cook? You want to learn how to cook?"

Tsuna ducked his head. "Well, I just…wanted to spend more time with you. Is that bad…?"

He really _did_ want to spend more time with the person who reminded him of Luce, even if it was dangerous for him (and very selfish and all kinds of stupid). However, there was no one else for him to turn to. It made him feel like shit for manipulating a kind woman like Nana to believe that he was still her son, but he didn't know what else to do.

He was starting fresh again, in a new city, a new place, a new _world_.

So, he couldn't help but catch himself smiling when Nana enthusiastically rattled off things they could cook together and planning a grocery trip tomorrow. Tsuna let her fill in the silence with her lively voice, and relaxed for the first time he arrived in this world.

* * *

School was…an interesting endeavor.

Having grown up with street-smarts and a yakuza group, Tsuna had never went to school or interacted much with people his age. The yakuza wives were his teachers, fostering his intelligence in a variety of subjects that may or may not have also included flower language, cooking, tea-making, and seduction (Skull and even Viper had choked on their drinks when he pulled this tactic on a patient to get enough time to stick a syringe in his neck; nonetheless, his business closed that night).

So, it had been awkward navigating through the crowds of eager pre-teens in Kokuyo Middle's stuffy hallways. Claustrophobic actually, but Tsuna had managed to find his classroom in time and sit in the back. Some students were already clumped together in small groups and only glanced at him when he entered. He just gazed out the large window, silently watching the students enter through the school gates.

Kokuyo was not a large district, but it had enough life and activity to attract Tsuna's interest. The people were mostly middle-class and there were some nicer neighborhoods for the rich. A hub of business and rather shady dealings if you looked in the right places, Kokuyo was a mix of the good, the bad, and the ugly—Tsuna _loved_ it.

It was inevitable for him to be sucked in the underworld again. It had been his life before and always will be. It was just a matter of _how_ he'd approach it.

He was still only fourteen and a civilian if Iemitsu managed to keep him out of the Vongola's radar, which he found convenient and rather admirable despite the man's lack of presence.

The door opened and their homeroom teacher, Sasaki-sensei, entered the room with her heels clacking sharply against the floor. A plain woman with a neat ponytail and glasses, Sasaki-sensei was a rather impressive individual. Tsuna didn't mind her strict discipline and stern lectures; it somewhat reminded him of Verde who always explained things as they were with no bullshit.

School was mostly uneventful. He didn't have any friends, just acquaintances, which he didn't mind much. No one bothered him and he didn't bother them. The only class he liked was science, which he enjoyed more than he realized, especially in a formal setting. Of course, he was well-acquainted with the human anatomy—the black market wasn't really the ideal place to learn but he took what he could get—and was privy to tons of grotesque sights, but getting fresh with the basics wasn't that bad. Well, until he got bored with learning about blood cells and veins and capillaries for another week.

He didn't join any clubs, but after looking at Nana's hopeful face for the umpteenth time that month, he opted to find _something_ to be involved in. Sports was out of the question since he was still working on getting his body healthy again. There was a culinary and a baking club, but he was content with practicing with Nana back at home and didn't really see the members doing much other than gossip. Broadcasting, English, calligraphy, yearbook—no, maybe but no, interesting but no, hell no.

Finally, he found himself standing outside one of the science labs. Might as well, he thought with a sigh, opening the door.

He froze.

Standing in front of a projector was a tall man with gelled black hair and gray eyes. It was Goro; however, this man was cleanly-shaven and had no tattoos. The kindness on his tanned face was foreign to Tsuna, so out of place, so _not_ Goro, that he was forced to face the fact that this _wasn't_ Goro.

There were some students already in the lab, looking up from their microscopes to stare at the newcomer. Goro— _no, he_ wasn't _Goro_ , Tsuna thought—looked at him with some concern.

"Are you alright, young man?"

Tsuna swallowed a lump in his throat. His tongue suddenly felt heavy in his dry mouth and he could feel every single muscle in his body seize up. Why couldn't he _talk_?

Before the Goro-poser could call out to him again, Tsuna ran.

* * *

He didn't know how long he ran or where he was going—he just needed to get away.

Why did he think he could get through this? How could he ever face _them_ again when he just froze up in front of one of the ghosts of his past? What was he going to do if he just fucked up?

Tsuna didn't manage to run for too long; his stamina was still pathetically low. He collapsed at a rather shady intersection, scaring off some alley cats lingering around the dumpsters. Panting, he looked around in a daze to take in his surroundings. He didn't know where he was, but he knew enough that this wasn't the place he should be.

A sudden crash made him jump. There were some loud shouts of garbled words and metals clanging before tires screeched in the air. Tsuna stood there silently, not daring to move. Whatever happened…was none of his business. Besides, he was too weak to fend off anyone. Still, his nagging curiosity poking the back of his head that made him move.

He was careful not to make too much noise but the kid's clumsiness was an annoying exhibitionist. His feet somehow tripped over air _again_. Tsuna had tried tapping into the Sky Flames in the kid's body before but he bumped into a partial seal, which was _maddening_ , and why the kid was so messed up in the first place.

"Who the fuck are you?" a rough voice said, snatching his hair.

Tsuna clenched his jaw when a bloody knife pressed against his neck, the cold blade giving him some sense of sick thrill. The danger in reminded him that he was _alive_. His eyes immediately darted around: two men on the ground but okay, a third in critical condition. Was he the boss? He wore a nice suit and clutched his abdomen—oh, nasty cut.

"How much is he bleeding?" Tsuna said, catching the men's attention.

The knife dug a little deeper against his throat. He could feel a faint trickle of blood drip down his neck.

"I won't ask again, you little bastard," his captor said. "Who the fuck are you?"

Tsuna didn't even blink. "I can help unless you don't want him to live."

One of the men looked at him dubiously, probably baffled that a fourteen-year-old was saying something so…drastic; he looked fairly young with thin lips. Tsuna glanced at the struggling man who tried hard to stay conscious.

"He probably has thirty minutes max," he said, making the subordinates flinch. Really, were they idiots? Why weren't they at least _staunching_ the wound?

"Just bring 'im over here," the young man said, clenching his jaw. "You pull anything funny and you're dead."

The scarred man next to him narrowed his eyes. "Oi, what the hell are you doing?"

"We can't let Oyabun _die_."

"He's just a kid, idiot!"

Nonetheless, Tsuna was dragged to the badly-wounded man. The knife never left his throat while he assessed the wounds. One stab wound to the abdomen, femoral artery. Tsuna's lips twitched. This man was a fighter.

"I'm going to take off my vest," Tsuna said. "I need to stop the bleeding."

"Don't move, you little shit!" the scarred man said.

"You should listen to me unless you want him to bleed to death. His femoral artery's been damaged and he's losing too much blood."

"You're only a k—"

The scarred man shut up when Tsuna gave him a sharp look that looked too old and mature for someone his age.

"I'm going to staunch the bleeding and you're going to get a car so we can bring him somewhere safe to treat his wounds. Is that so fucking hard to understand? Do you want him to live or not?"

The knife against his neck pulled away. Tsuna immediately took off his school vest, folded it, and pressed it firmly on the man's wound. If the femoral artery was damaged, then they had no time unless the men wanted their boss to bleed to death, which was becoming more likely if they didn't bring a damn car and get him somewhere to stabilize him.

The man breathed shallowly with sweat dripping down his face. He looked a bit familiar but Tsuna couldn't place him. Either way, he had other things to worry about.

"Where's the car? Unless you want to bring him to the hospital instead?"

That snapped the men back into reality. Idiots. The younger one stood up and ran away to get the car. Tsuna would think about their incompetence later; there was a patient to save.

"Sir, can you hear me?" he asked quietly. "Stay with me, okay? You're going to be fine. There, keep your eyes open for me a little bit longer, okay? Can you talk?"

The _oyabun_ looked at him blearily, still conscious, which was a good sign. He muttered something under his breath, too low for Tsuna to hear. The young subordinate better come back soon or the boss might go into shock. He hoped—he _prayed—_ that the kid's clumsiness wouldn't get in his way. He was going to _destroy_ the seal.

The sound of cars screeching behind him made him jerk, but his hands were still pressed firmly against the man's wound.

"Gently," Tsuna said while the men carried their boss into the car.

"What the hell happened to Hibari-sama?" the driver said. "Who's the kid? Are you idiots?"

Tsuna stiffened. Hibari…? He looked down at the boss. He didn't look like Decimo's Cloud Guardian but…he could see the resemblance.

"The damn brat's going to fucking kill _all_ of you," the driver said through gritted teeth.

"Just shut up and drive, Takao!" the young subordinate said, jumping into the passenger seat.

"I need a sterile environment," Tsuna said, finding his voice again. "Any medical equipment you can get your hands on. It'd also be nice to get his blood type if you can."

The driver peeked at him over his sunglasses, his dark eyes narrowed. "Okay, who the fuck's the kid?"

Tsuna smiled, making everyone flinch. "I'm the gateway to life for your dear boss here. Now you better fucking _drive_ , Takao-san. He only has seventeen minutes left."

* * *

 **A/N Another doctor!Tsuna, haha. Well, more like an underground doctor but still a doctor nonetheless. (shrugs) It's a rather nice setup actually if you think about it. He'd be able to meet so many people who'd trust him since he doesn't ask questions—simply patches you up, sends you off your way, and gets paid.**

 **I couldn't resist writing the next chapter for this. Tsuna is more jaded here with some questionable morality but hey, he's only human after all, haha. I won't go overboard with the OC's, but they'll mostly fill in the role of the underworld, haha. And I didn't want to go through the hassle of making up another name for a new district so I just recycled "Kokuyo" and made it a district in Tokyo. It's a rather…nice and shady name anyways, haha.**

 **I know I kind of just dumped a lot of exposition here, but the story will pick up in the next chapter with more development. Oh, and look at that, is that a responsible Iemitsu I see? (cackles) And is Kawahira hiding some kind of agenda behind all that leniency? Questions, questions…**

 **Anyways, thank you so much for the reviews and favorites, peeps! Yeah, the beginning might have been confusing but Tsuna wasn't in the best state of mind, haha.**

 **Thank you for reading! Leave a thought or two if you can.**

 **I hope to see you again in the next chapter!**

 **Have a lovely day~**

 **Little Miss Bunny**

 **Revised: 4/18/2018**


	3. The Skylark

" _Fate brings people together no matter how far apart they may be."_ – Chinese Proverb

* * *

Takao drove to a safe house that could've taken fifteen minutes but only took four when he drove like a lunatic. Tsuna maintained steady hands over the boss' wound. Warm blood seeped through his fingers but he didn't pay it any mind.

The man was barely clinging onto life.

As soon as Takao parked in an obscure road, the other men carried their boss inside an unassuming building. Tsuna followed closely by, quickly scanning his surroundings. They walked through a narrow hallway that stretched out into three different rooms, looking more like a shoddy apartment. The lights flickered a bit, which wasn't good. He had an impressive dynamic memory of the human anatomy, but didn't trust this kid's hands to maneuver around organs and tissues, much less apples and oranges in the supermarket.

The men shouted orders at some underlings lingering around. Soon, the place buzzed with loud men and footsteps. Tsuna couldn't help but shiver—he _lived_ for this.

"I need the cleanest sheets and sturdiest table you have," Tsuna said, drawing some attention. "Any medical supplies you have on site and possibly eleven liters of this man's blood type. If you don't have it, get O-negative. Keep a clean bed ready for later. Do you have gloves and antiseptic?"

The man who had held a knife to his neck brought everything he asked for from one of the cabinets. The scarred man and young subordinate pushed a long table in the room, which Tsuna quickly cleaned with antiseptic. He wiped it with a clean rag and nodded at the men to place the boss down.

Someone wheeled in a cart of medical supplies. He perused them with an appreciative eye. At least, their money was going into useful things. He gestured towards knife-man.

"More antiseptic," he said, raising his bloody hands. "One of you keep pressure on his wound."

The young subordinate did what he asked while knife-man returned with more antiseptic. Tsuna rolled up his sleeves, washed his hands with the cold liquid, and slipped on the latex gloves.

Cracking his neck, he approached the table. "If you have anesthesia, that'd be nice."

Someone handed him a syringe. Tsuna quickly inserted it through the boss' side near the wound. The man's breathing slowly evened out before he surrendered to deep slumber.

"If you're not a fan of this, I suggest you leave," Tsuna said, grabbing a pair of scissors.

The scarred man scoffed. "As if we'd just leave you here with Oyabun."

Tsuna narrowed his eyes. "Then remember this. One word from _any_ of you and I'll personally see to it that you never copulate or see daylight again. This is _my_ domain. My word here is fucking _law_. No one comes in or out of the room, understand?"

He didn't wait for a response; their silence was enough. Tossing his bloody vest to the side, Tsuna quickly cut the boss' shirt open to get a better look at the wound. He grabbed some clean sheets to cover the man's legs and upper torso, only leaving the stab wound in the open. After prepping the patient's wound and skin with antiseptic solution and saline, he picked up two clamps to mark the entry site and peel it back for a better view inside.

The room was deathly quiet while he worked his way slowly—too slowly for him, goddamn this kid's clumsiness; he was lucky he didn't _nick_ anything in the process—to the incision at the femoral artery. There was too much blood to see the wound properly.

"Bucket," Tsuna said, inserting a long catheter inside the lesion. "And someone set up the blood bags. Hurry up!"

A metallic clang rattled by his feet. Tsuna dropped the other end of the catheter inside the bucket. Blood soon filtered through the tube, dripping into the pail. The pitter-patter of blood, the hum of the fluorescent lights, and the other men's quiet breaths were a small comfort to him, grounding him. Knife-man wheeled the blood bags over and Tsuna immediately inserted the IV line in one of the patient's vessels.

"Replace them as quickly as you can," he said.

The cut into the artery was clean, which was good for him, but he didn't trust this kid's hands. As the excess of blood slowly drained through the catheter, he dabbed some of the patient's wound with some gauze pads. Wiping a needle driver with some antiseptic and clean cloth—whoever handled the medical equipment here deserved a fucking gold star—Tsuna took a deep breath, prayed to God that he wouldn't fuck this up, and started to stich the cut open artery.

His fingers trembled faintly from his excruciating pace. Focusing on suturing the wound and not letting the kid's clumsiness take over was more difficult than he thought. Tsuna bit the inside of his mouth so hard it bled. A bead of sweat dripped down the side of his forehead. He suddenly felt hot and cold all over.

One suture in…pull out and loop…knot…cut…repeat…in, out…loop…knot…cut…

He wiped the sweat away from his forehead. Halfway there. Come on, he could do it.

 _Kid, don't fuck this up_ , Tsuna thought.

Loud, muffled shouts suddenly sounded from outside. It took whatever amount of patience Tsuna had _not_ to drop the needle driver inside and sever other veins and tissues.

"Fuck," the scarred man said, his quiet voice ringing too loudly in the room. "Who called the brat?"

"Leave and don't come back," Tsuna said, tying another knot. "Handle it. Don't let anyone in."

"I d—"

Tsuna looked up briefly then. "Get the fuck out and _handle_ it." Scar-man gaped, looking paler than usual. "Am I speaking Dutch? You're not fucking deaf. Get _out_."

A few minutes later, Tsuna heard the door close and the lock click. He looped in another suture. The bleeding eventually stopped as he slowly worked his way down the femoral artery. He paused when his hands started veering off course. Goddamn it—he was going to _wreck_ the kid's seal after this, his own safety be damned. He was also going to fucking _sew_ and _crochet_ with Nana from now on; he had to triple his shitty knots to keep the artery closed.

Mentally shaking his head, Tsuna rolled his shoulders, releasing some of the tension in his aching muscles, before resuming his work. He glanced at the patient's face, noting the steady breathing. Great, still alive. Maybe this kid had _some_ kind of luck after all (or it was just him; either worked).

Several crashes and bangs echoed outside. A couple of pained shrieks mingled in the air. Tsuna hissed when his hands nearly slipped. What the fuck was going on?

The young subordinate suddenly pushed a large dresser in front of the door. Knife-man quickly helped him shove several tables and a bookshelf to block the entrance. Under different circumstances, Tsuna would've laughed.

Another suture in and out. Loop three times. Cut. Again. God, he was almost there.

A loud bang from the door made Tsuna look up. Blood stained his gloves, arms, and clothes, which would be hell to wash off. It became quiet again, but Tsuna zeroed in on cutting the last suture. There was no time to get distracted. He wondered how the kid's alcohol intake was. He'd probably kill himself with one shot.

The door suddenly burst open, snapping in two. Splinters of wood sprinkled to the ground and Tsuna had to resist every urge to gape at the display of brute strength.

"Ibuka!" the young subordinate said in panic.

Knife-man couldn't do anything—someone continued to kick down the door, actually _shoving_ the dressers and tables away. Gritting his teeth, Tsuna tried to quickly close the wound. His hands shook while he clumsily went through the motion that was better-ingrained in his head. With no adept muscle memory or any straight coordination, it was a fucking miracle he even managed to get this far. He got two stitches in when someone finally barged through the barricade.

Tsuna nearly dropped the needle driver. It was Decimo's Cloud Guardian, Hibari Kyoya. He was young, probably sixteen or seventeen, but that wasn't what caught his attention: it was the teen's eyes, which were a milky pale gray, almost white.

He was blind.

Despite his blindness, Kyoya looked right at Tsuna with unnerving accuracy. Tsuna could only attribute it to his heightened senses, which wouldn't be impossible given the whole psychology behind it, but he digressed.

This one seemed stronger than the Cloud Guardian he knew, and Tsuna didn't know what to think about that. His hopes of never meeting Decimo's guardians' parallel counterparts were apparently ignored.

"Herbivores"—well, at least not everything was different—"explain."

Ibuka bowed deeply, his shoulders tense. "Kyoya-sama, he's only helping Oyabun."

Tsuna pursed his lips. "Until you came— _leave_."

The two subordinates gawked at him, but Tsuna was already working through the third stitch. Just four more and he was done. He glared when Kyoya approached the table with long, confident strides.

"You better fuck off before I slice your stomach open," Tsuna said. "You just contaminated the room."

Pausing, Kyoya stood only a few feet away from the makeshift-operating table. He seemed to mull over what Tsuna said before directing his gaze to the other occupants in the room. Tsuna clenched his jaw, ignoring the grunts, breaking bones, and screams to focus more on suturing.

Finally, he set down the needle driver in the medical tray and grabbed some thick bandages. Kyoya had stopped beating the other men a few minutes ago—he still used tonfas in this world apparently—but Tsuna focused on wrapping the bandages around the patient's stomach.

Was every Kyoya always so bloodthirsty?

Tsuna then removed his gloves and dumped them in the trash. "Keeps the wound clean. Don't soak it in water. You can get rid of the sutures after two weeks. Keep the bandages on for another 24 hours before taking them off. You can rinse it then—no baths. Showering's acceptable. Clean the wound twice a day until the two weeks are up."

Barely looking miffed, Kyoya regarded him curiously. Blood stained his black suit and Tsuna didn't even have to look at the men on the ground to confirm they were dead. He raised a brow. Yes, Decimo's Cloud Guardian was violent but he had _some_ rationale—well, barely.

He could only imagine the carnage outside the room.

"Who are you?" Kyoya said, slowly stalking around the table. "You're only a child."

Tsuna bit back a smartass retort about respecting your elders. He really wanted some whiskey now.

"I'm no one," he deadpanned. He glanced at the dead subordinates. "I hope you don't expect me to work on them either. I drive a hard service fee."

Kyoya suddenly loomed over him, his milky eyes staring right at Tsuna's face. It took every ounce of willpower not to tense when Kyoya raised a hand to touch Tsuna's cheek in a more curious fashion rather than an intimate or threatening one. His hands were cold and his calloused fingertips were oddly gentle. Still, Tsuna swatted his hand away with narrowed eyes.

"Keep your hands to yourself," he said.

Kyoya didn't seem offended at the gesture; in fact, he seemed more intrigued and that was never a good sign in Tsuna's book.

"You have fire inside you," Kyoya said, tilting his head. "It's small."

Tsuna unconsciously stepped back. His Sky Flames hissed when powerful Cloud Flames poked and prodded the seal with no ill-intent. Tsuna gritted his teeth. Reaching out for Flames was an intimate act that was solely exclusive for a Sky and his or her guardians. It was even more offensive when a Sky was un-bonded and not in any position to accept its elements.

Seemed like this Kyoya was still a brat.

"Back off," Tsuna said, grabbing a scalpel. "I don't care if I hurt you."

Kyoya's lips twitched into a slight smile—that was baffling in itself; Decimo's Cloud Guardian never smiled—and he backed away, his arms relaxing by his sides.

"You're an interesting little animal," Kyoya said, so unlike and like Decimo's Cloud Guardian at the same time.

Tsuna's guts tightened at the thought of _them_ being different in this world, too. "Oh, so I devolved into a 'little animal'? Listen, you should be grateful I'm not charging a fee. All I ask is for some clothes and that you pretend I never existed. Works out for both of us."

Kyoya stayed quiet for a few minutes before whistling sharply. Two men stepped into the room and immediately bowed. One of them had a ridiculous pompadour that Tsuna never understood for the life of him—Kusakabe Tetsuya, Decimo's Cloud Guardian's right-hand man.

"Take the herbivore to the car," Kyoya said.

"Yes, Kyoya-sama," Kusakabe said.

While the men carried Kyoya's father out the room, Tsuna quirked a brow when Kyoya followed them out. Really, he was just going to leave like that? That was either gratifying or insulting—Tsuna couldn't tell.

Kyoya paused in his step but didn't turn to face him. Instead, he slightly tilted his head towards the door, a small but innocent gesture that seemed so bizarre and yet so right for this Kyoya. Tsuna just couldn't wrap his head around this situation as much as he tried. He just really wanted that shot of whiskey.

"Did you not want clothes, little animal?" Kyoya said.

Tsuna clenched his teeth before stuffing the scalpel, a few more medical instruments, and some anesthesia inside his backpack. Grabbing the last clean sheets, he followed Kyoya out the room, not giving much of a glance to the small carnage behind him or the massacre in the hallways. He forgot how freakishly demonic Decimo's Cloud Guardian was. It was so different from sweet Skull who preferred gathering intel over annihilating enemies.

He wasn't sure about this Kyoya's few shared traits with Decimo's Cloud Guardian. Actually, he wasn't even happy that he _met_ the brat.

Either way, Tsuna still followed Kyoya outside, ignoring the safe house burning down behind him. Even when they were a mile away, Tsuna still felt the sensation of fire scorching his skin.

* * *

"You're only a child," Kyoya said after they got settled inside the car.

Tsuna's brow twitched while he adjusted the unconscious Oyabun in a more comfortable position. He checked the man's temperature and breathing rate before covering his body with the sheets to keep him warm.

"We established that already," Tsuna said, sitting far away from Kyoya he possibly could. "And you're what? Sixteen? You're a kid, too."

Kyoya didn't seem fazed at the jab. He remained eerily calm, which reminded Tsuna more of _Fon_ than Decimo's Cloud Guardian. It was just… _weird_.

The other teen didn't face him, his gaze fixed on the car's back window, and crossed his arms over his chest. The privacy barrier prevented the men in the front from listening in on their conversation.

"But you're not a child, too."

Tsuna tensed. As usual, he had gotten too caught up in the moment to really think things through. Sometimes his proclivity for helping people tended to get him in some of the worst situations—ask Reborn. And, this Kyoya seemed to be more perceptive than he let on despite being fucking blind. So what? It was a handicap, sure, but it could be conquered with the right mindset. Tsuna was more concerned about the teen's heightened senses. Kyoya was a brat but he wasn't _stupid_. Seriously, the _possibilities_ in that were honestly both fascinating and terrifying—okay, he shouldn't gush about that.

Posing a casual front, Tsuna looked out the window to watch the passing streets and darkening sky. "How would you know? You're blind. I could be some thirty-year-old man who eats little kids like you for dessert."

Kyoya grunted lightly. "I'm not stupid, little animal."

"What if I'm an enemy?"

"You wouldn't be able to kill me."

"I could."

"You can't."

Tsuna scowled at the utter truth (and arrogance) in those words. He wouldn't stand a chance against Kyoya, not in the state he was in. He was weak and clumsy, and goddamn it, he was going to _destroy_ the fucking seal, even if it was there with some noble (still fucked-up) intentions. _No one_ should seal Flames, and Tsuna concluded that this kid had it since he was very young. God, if the kid didn't have a seal in the first place, maybe he would've had a much happier and easier childhood, made some decent friends or something. Sometimes, Tsuna wondered if Iemitsu was just a couple levels of stupid—probably.

Since he took over the kid's body, his presence had cracked the seal just enough for him to get in touch with his Sky Flames, but not enough to tap into the famed Hyper Intuition Primo was known for. Tsuna had ran through several options, but most of them were nearly impossible due to his limited resources and zero connections.

The first option was more direct and easiest in theory, but he immediately discarded it: find Fon and convince him to disintegrate the seal with his Storm Flames. Tsuna wasn't ready to face him any time soon and was also terrified at the prospect of finding him…different like this Kyoya was. The second option was finding a strong Storm Flame user in Japan, but it was farfetched and highly unlikely since yakuza didn't really use Flames. Traveling to Europe was also out of the question.

The third option was confronting Iemitsu, but Tsuna wasn't fond of the possible repercussions or drawing suspicions; plus, he didn't want Nana to suffer from the knowledge of the mafia or get wary either. He owed her that much. The fourth option was even worse: find Reborn and ask him to shoot him with the Vongola's Dying Will Bullet. One, he wasn't keen about running around in his boxers in public if what Decimo had said was true. Second, he was terrified of finding a different Reborn. Third, he just wasn't _fucking_ ready. Fourth, what if Reborn wasn't affiliated with Vongola?

So, guess what? The option Tsuna had left was being stupid and throwing himself into extremely dangerous situations to force his Flames out.

Great.

But then again, he already met Kyoya, a ghost from his old life, (and Goro, his weary mind added). He was never really close to Decimo or his guardians, only patching them up when Shamal was being infuriatingly difficult. How that man managed to become a doctor was beyond him, and Tsunadidn't even _have_ a medical license. Honestly, he didn't know the guardians personally, only picking up on some of their habits and traits here and there when they came to him. Again, he had his own family to look after. Either way, Tsuna didn't really put in much effort to get to know them.

Okay, maybe he was also salty at the fact that Reborn was forced— _"I'm only returning a favor, Tsuna. Stop being dramatic."_ —to train Decimo for a couple of years, but he digressed.

"Why did you kill them?" Tsuna said to fill up the aggravating silence.

A few minutes passed before Kyoya responded, "Culling the herd is necessary to dispose the weak."

Tsuna glanced at the unconscious boss. "Some of the men weren't there when he was stabbed."

Kyoya inclined his head towards him. "You know what happened, little animal?"

Tsuna placed his chin onto his palm. "I was only passing by so I didn't see him get stabbed. They were loud. Is he your father?"

"He's a useless herbivore."

"I'm just going to take that as a yes." Tsuna sighed. "Look, I don't care about whatever business you have with whoever. I just helped patch him up, that's it. I'm not looking for trouble."

Kyoya quirked a brow. "And yet you helped the herbivore."

Tsuna deadpanned. "Don't you know about the Hippocratic Oath? 'I will remember that I remain a member of society, with special obligation to all my fellow human beings, those sound of mind and body as well as the infirm'? No? Well, there you go."

Tsuna actually never took the oath since he never attended med school and wasn't even a legitimate doctor, but semantics.

Kyoya didn't say anything but his slight amusement wasn't lost to Tsuna.

"You know, you're taking this in _too_ well. I'm getting clothes and leaving, right? No strings attached?"

"You talk too much."

Tsuna rolled his eyes. "I don't get your hierarchy. Where does 'little animal' even stand? Is it below 'herbivore'? In-between? Above? Left? Right?"

Kyoya's brow slightly twitched, which was a small victory in Tsuna's book. "Stop talking."

"Then answer my question."

A buzz from Tsuna's backpack made him tense. He fished it out quickly to see who was calling, paling a bit: Nana.

"It's my mom," he said, the words still foreign on his tongue. "Do you mind?"

Kyoya just huffed in response.

"I'm taking that as a yes then." Tsuna placed his phone against his ear. "Mama?"

"Oh, Tsu-kun! Are you alright? You didn't come home and I was wondering where you were. Are you lost? Should I come to get you?"

"Ah." Tsuna glanced at Kyoya who wasn't looking at him, but definitely listening. "I'm just…with a friend."

Nana gasped. "A friend? Oh, that's wonderful! Who is he?" She chuckled. "Or she?"

"It's a he. I met him at the science club."

"You joined a club, Tsu-kun? That's great! Why don't you invite your friend over for dinner?"

"I don't know, Mama. He's really shy and I don't want to, you know, push him too much."

"Of course, of course. I understand. But do bring him over some time soon, alright? I'd love to meet him."

"Yeah, I'm sorry for making you worry. I was just wondering if I could stay out longer? We were thinking about watching a movie, so…"

"That's no problem at all! Just call me when you're done. I'll pick you up!"

"Okay, thank you, Mama."

"Of course, Tsu-kun. I love you."

Tsuna's breath nearly hitched. He should be used to that by now, but he wasn't. "I love you, too."

"Have fun! And don't forget to call me after."

"Yeah."

After Nana hung up, Tsuna didn't pocket his phone away until a few minutes later. He stared at the brightly lit time on the corner of the screen: 4:58 PM.

"Tsu-kun?"

Tsuna scowled at Kyoya who didn't meet his gaze. The little shit was definitely smirking.

"You're a prick, great," Tsuna said, shoving his phone in his bag. "Listening in on other people's conversations is just shitty, you know? Your mom never teach you?"

Kyoya slightly tensed. "You talk too much, little animal."

"And you're a fucking broken record."

They didn't speak for the rest of the ride.

* * *

Tsuna didn't recognize the neighborhood they arrived at. The houses were all large, modern, and filthy rich. The streets were relatively quiet; no one was around despite it being mid-afternoon. Tsuna frowned. The place was so empty, it was eerie.

His suspicions were confirmed when they drove deeper into a more isolated area that might as well be another neighborhood of its own. Suited men guarded the tall, wooden gates to a traditionally-styled home. Tsuna easily picked out all the surveillance cameras in the area before the car stopped. Kusakabe and the other man carefully carried Kyoya's father onto a gurney.

"You'll take care of him, right?" Tsuna said, exiting the car.

Kyoya left from the other side and shut the door. "That's none of your business, little animal."

Tsuna just sighed. "At least, make sure all of my hard work doesn't go to waste."

Kyoya glanced at him with a slight twitch in his pale lips. "Then isn't it best for the doctor to oversee his patient?"

"Shut up."

And Tsuna meant it. This Kyoya spoke more in the past twenty minutes than Decimo's Cloud Guardian ever did in a _year_. Tsuna had to keep reminding himself that he _willingly_ accepted to be in this situation that Kawahira gave him. Granted, he should've expected that this world _was_ different from his, he only hoped it wasn't any worse.

Some of the guards and servants peeked at him curiously, but scurried off once they noticed Kyoya. Tsuna didn't give them much more than a glance as Kyoya led him inside the house. The front courtyard was large with a nice koi pond close by; the grass was cleanly-cut and fresh, and the fragrance of cherry blossoms was just enough to keep Tsuna calm.

Clutching his backpack to his chest, Tsuna slipped off his shoes and nearly jumped when a maid quietly handed him some slippers. He accepted them with a quiet "thank you". The woman left silently just as she came. Tsuna caught up with Kyoya after, his steps thudding lightly in the quiet household.

The other teen didn't touch the walls for guidance or asked for help from the silent servants, his steps confident. Tsuna trailed behind him, taking in the house's layout. There was more open space and less rooms the further they walked; the garden outside was large too, with a pond. A red pavilion rested in the middle with a circular table and two cushion-seats inside. The place was quite stunning with its modest simplicity.

Kyoya finally stopped in front of a large door and slid it open. Tsuna followed him inside before realizing that it was his bedroom. It was quite big and bare. There was a writing desk in the corner with a small bookshelf filled with texts in braille and print, and another table with some ink and paper.

Tsuna pursed his lips. "Why did you bring me to your room?"

"Close the door, little animal."

Tsuna rolled his eyes but closed the door anyways. He didn't move from his spot while Kyoya opened one of the dresser's drawers. Moving effortlessly, he shifted through his clothes.

"Why did you bring me to your room?"

Kyoya shifted through another pile of clothes. "You're harmless."

Tsuna's brow twitched. He marched forward, grabbed Kyoya's empty tea cup, and threw it. Kyoya just moved his head to the side. The cup shattered against the wall.

"You'll pay for that, little animal," he said.

Tsuna just scowled when Kyoya returned with a clean black T-shirt and some beige. He didn't accept them right away. Kyoya glanced down at him.

"This will do," he said, nudging the clothes in his arms. "And clean yourself."

Tsuna furrowed his brows. "What?"

He nearly jumped when the door slid open again. Another woman stood at the doorway with her head bowed.

"The herbivore will take you," Kyoya said, shedding off his bloody suit jacket and unbuttoning his white shirt.

Tsuna clicked his tongue but followed the woman anyways with his backpack and Kyoya's clothes. He really didn't like where this was going. On one hand, he could start making connections but he was solely unprepared (and didn't think things through); on the other hand, he could just wing it, which wasn't his favorite option.

Still, Kyoya bringing him into his home—his _room_ —implied that Tsuna wouldn't be leaving any time soon. How the hell was he supposed to know that the boss was Kyoya's father anyways? Was Decimo's Cloud Guardian even part of a yakuza? It didn't seem likely though; he worked on his own terms, never under anyone else. He wished Reborn or even Lal Mirch was here to beat him down a peg or two because he actually deserved it.

The servant remained quiet while she escorted Tsuna to a bathroom. Her footsteps were silent against the wooden floors and she moved eerily like a ghost. Her black hair was tied back into a neat bun and her light gray kimono stuck tightly to her thin body. Yeah, she could pass off as a ghost.

After turning another corner, they finally reached another room, which was bare. She led him to another door inside and opened it for him. The bathroom inside had a large, wooden tub with smooth stones decorating the edges and a see-through shower stall a few feet away. A stool was nearby with a shower stand above it but with no barriers. Huh, options.

Tsuna shifted on his feet when the maid didn't leave. "Um, I don't mean to be rude, but are you supposed to…watch me? I'm not going to leave."

The maid kept her head bowed. "I will leave once I take your clothes, young sir."

"Oh. Well, could you…turn around?"

A few seconds of awkward silence passed before the maid complied. Tsuna dropped his backpack to the side and Kyoya's clothes on the stool. He undressed quickly, keeping his boxers on, before folding his clothes and placing them by the maid's feet.

The woman picked them up, bowed, and left. Tsuna grimaced when he entered the shower stall. Did it have to be see-through? It felt strange. He turned the knobs before hot water sprayed onto his small body. A content sigh escaped his lips while steam slowly rose in the air. He frowned. He gained some weight after creating a diet regimen, but he was nowhere near his old body. God, he also needed to think of how to train himself, too.

Sighing, he slowly relaxed under the pounding water. The heat soothed his aching muscles while he threaded sunflower and honey-scented shampoo in his hair. After rinsing and applying some conditioner, the water turned light red while he scrubbed his skin. The body wash smelled like lavender.

He was tempted to stay in the shower forever—the hot water made it difficult to leave—but turned it off. Grabbing a fluffy white towel from the rack, Tsuna dried himself and his hair before slipping on his boxers, which made him feel icky, but it was better than wearing nothing. Kyoya's clothes were too big for him; the shirt went down to his thighs while the shorts reached just under his knees.

Huffing, Tsuna rested the towel on his wet hair and grabbed his backpack. He glanced in the mirror. His cheeks were flushed red and he looked like some soggy kitten. Great. Well, at least he still looked cute—harmless but cute.

The door slid open before he could touch it. He blinked when the maid from before greeted him.

"Kyoya-sama is expecting you, young sir," she said, bowing.

Finding his slippers, Tsuna put them on and followed the maid. Grumbling under his breath, he tried to keep the shorts from slipping down his waist and ended up holding it up with one hand until they reached Kyoya's room. The maid opened the door for him and closed it after he slipped inside.

Kyoya sat at the table in the center of the room with a kettle of tea and two cups. He looked a little flushed and wore a simple black _kinagashi_. The scent of spices and orange wafted in Tsuna's nose.

"Sit, little animal," Kyoya said.

Suppressing a sigh, Tsuna plopped down across from him and dropped his school bag beside him.

"Thanks for the clothes," he deadpanned.

Kyoya just sipped his tea, not giving him a response. His eyes looked down at the table, but that didn't mean he was unaware of his surroundings.

"Your bag is dirty," he said.

Tsuna rolled his eyes. "How did you know?"

"I can smell it, little animal."

"Don't worry about it. I can clean it later."

"Your clothes are being washed. When they're clean, you can have them back."

"But…?"

Kyoya's lips twitched into a slight smile. "There is no 'but', little animal."

"Yes, there is. I was hoping for the 'no strings attached' route, but it's apparently not the case."

"You're an interesting little animal." Kyoya looked up then, his eyes unnervingly sharp despite their milky white-gray color. "You're skilled but young. You have fire inside you but they're not free." He tilted his head slightly in a disturbingly curious fashion. "Why?"

"Slow down there," Tsuna said dryly. "You might choke."

Kyoya wasn't fazed by the sarcasm, but a glint of amusement shone in his dull eyes. "Well?"

"Well, what? I'm not going to tell you anything. Same for me—I won't ask you anything. Seems like a pretty good deal, right? So back off."

Of course, the stubborn shit didn't listen. "Do you know who you saved, little animal?"

"Your father."

Kyoya's brow slightly twitched but he continued, "A useless herbivore, but he leads the pride."

Tsuna outright sighed. "Look, I don't want to know _anything_. So please, shut up."

"When he wakes, he'll ask for you."

"Just tell him one of your own doctors helped him. Is it that hard to make something up? He was delirious when I first saw him; he won't remember anything."

Kyoya smirked. "We do not have our own doctor."

Tsuna wanted to bang his head against the table. "How do you not have your own _doctor_? You had a heaven's supply of medical equipment in that place. _Someone_ had to use them."

"We do not have family doctor, only a herd doctor."

Tsuna deadpanned. "Are you seriously considering having a fucking fourteen-year-old with no medical license or degree whatsoever to become your _family doctor_? Unless I'm getting the wrong signals here."

"The herbivore will."

Tsuna narrowed his eyes. " _No_. Also, remind him how fucking crazy that sounds."

This whole new development was strange, but Tsuna wasn't that surprised, no matter how much he didn't want to admit it. He could practically _hear_ Reborn saying how stupid he was in the back of his mind, which wasn't helping.

Kyoya stood up then and headed towards the door, his cup now empty. The silent "follow me" didn't go unnoticed. Still, Tsuna grabbed his school bag and grudgingly followed Kyoya out. He grumbled under his breath, keeping the shorts from slipping. He hoped he hit a growth spurt soon, like in a week or something.

"Where are we going now?" he said.

"To see the carnivore."

Dread coiled in the pits of Tsuna's stomach. He nearly tripped if he didn't support himself on the wall in time.

"And who the hell's that?" he said, trying to keep his voice from shaking.

Kyoya didn't stop or turn to face him. "My uncle."

* * *

 **A/N Oh, look at that—tearing canon to shreds like usual. (cackles)**

 **I had fun writing this chapter, especially Kyoya because I feel like the parallel universe really offers a lot of creative license and I just took advantage of it. I feel dirty now…**

 **Well, this Kyoya is blind and a bit tamer than canon but still bloodthirsty and ruthless (he reminds me of Daredevil, lol). Since we're limited to Tsuna's point of view, who knows? He'll have to deal with him more in the future anyways. It's going to be fun to write their future relationship and more of Kyoya's character. Poor Tsuna—nothing ever goes his way, does it?**

 **The impromptu surgery scene may or may not have medical inaccuracies so please take it with a grain of salt. It was also difficult to research for since it's not in a hospital and Tsuna could only do so much without proper equipment, but he managed—somehow.**

 **I know you peeps are wondering who Decimo is in the other world but everything will be revealed soon. We're all trying to get acquainted with this parallel world like Tsuna is and he never really had much of a relationship with Decimo or his guardians to begin with (plus, he has other priorities at the moment, haha) so it's not going to be revealed so soon. Patient, young ones, haha. More will also be explained on why Kyoya basically killed all the men in the safe house, but if you figured it out, let me know!**

 **Thank you so much for your reviews and favorites! Leave a comment or two (especially your thoughts on this Kyoya; I'm curious to what you peeps think about him) if you can! I'll try to get back to you as soon as I can if you have any questions. :^)**

 **Thank you for reading! I hope to see you again in the next chapter.**

 **Have a lovely day~**

 **Little Miss Bunny**

 **Revised: 4/20/2018**


	4. The Storm Arcobaleno

" _Storms make oaks take deeper roots."_ – George Herbert

* * *

"Your uncle…?"

Kyoya didn't respond. Licking his lips, Tsuna prayed to every god he knew that Kyoya's uncle was some random turd.

They turned a corner and walked into a longer hallway. The lights dim, it was quiet, too quiet. Their slippers and soft breaths were the only sounds that breached the silence. Clutching his bag tighter to his chest, Tsuna hummed a nameless tune under his breath. It was more of a way to stop his ears from ringing.

Kyoya's voice was soft. "Are you afraid?"

Tsuna realized then how his heart thumped erratically against his chest, making it almost hard to breathe. He cleared his throat. "I'm fine. Just cold."

Tsuna nearly jumped when something light and warm draped over his small body. Kyoya had taken off his black haori and placed it around Tsuna's thin shoulders. He turned away too quickly for Tsuna to gauge his expression, but it was still odd. Tsuna just couldn't think of Decimo's Cloud Guardian as being so out rightly…kind. The haori smelled like green tea, reaching down to his calves and reminding him how short he was compared to Kyoya. He huffed.

"Giants," he mumbled. "Just fucking giants."

"You're just small, little animal."

Tsuna's brow twitched. "Why, thank you for reminding me, Mr. Giant. I didn't _ask_ to be the size of a beansprout. How far can you hear anyways?"

Kyoya tilted his head slightly. "How far?" He mulled it over a second or two before saying, "Very far."

Tsuna deadpanned. "Oh, wow, I figured."

His breath hitched when they reached a large door. Kyoya slid it open without knocking. Tsuna almost gulped but coughed into his fist instead and forced himself to follow the other teen.

"The carnivore won't bite," Kyoya said softly in his ear, making Tsuna jump.

"Personal Space 101: _Don't_ do that," Tsuna said, pushing him away, "unless you want to be labeled a creep."

Kyoya's lips twitched into a slight smile before leading him to another door. They entered a small room, which seemed more like a lobby of sorts. A painting hung on the pale walls, depicting a beautiful river with a tiger resting under a tree. There was some Chinese written at the bottom corner, but Tsuna couldn't get to read it when Kyoya opened another door.

His hands trembled when he smelled oolong tea in the air. Tsuna clutched his backpack tighter while following Kyoya inside, his steps almost dragging behind him.

"Kyoya, what a pleasant surprise," a familiar voice said.

Tsuna could only stare at the infant that sat on the small table. A cup of tea was placed in front of Fon, and his red pacifier hung around his neck, a sign of the curse. However, that wasn't what made Tsuna's breath hitch—Fon wore a black changshan instead of a red one.

 _Fon,_ he wanted to say, _Fon, I'm so sorry._

But he couldn't. This wasn't his Storm.

Kyoya bowed—he actually _bowed_ —towards his uncle. Decimo's Cloud Guardian rarely ever went near Fon unless it was absolutely necessary, which was always a stretch, a very thin one.

"Carnivore."

Fon nodded back in greeting. His unnervingly sharp eyes soon caught Tsuna's gaze. God, he looked like Fon—but he wasn't _his_ Fon. The cursed infant still had braided hair and wore traditional Chinese clothing, but his smile, no matter how pleasant it seemed, didn't reach his eyes. They looked anything but friendly. The infant in front of him wasn't his kind and gentle Fon—he was…

Tsuna didn't know and he didn't want to.

"And you brought a little chick with you, I see."

Tsuna had to stop himself from gaping. He tried to find the words to speak, but quickly went against whatever popped up in his head. Fon just said that. He really said that. Not once did his Fon ever indulge in Decimo's Cloud Guardian's bizarre animal analogies—he complained about it, not encouraged it.

"Your uncle…is a baby," Tsuna finally said, not caring how meek he sounded.

"He is a carnivore," Kyoya said, as if that justified everything.

Fon's smile never wavered, but there was a curious glint in his dark eyes that wasn't so innocent. Tsuna couldn't help but shudder.

"Where are my manners? Please, do come and sit. I was just enjoying some tea."

Tsuna didn't move from his spot, even when Kyoya walked over and sat down across from Fon.

"I—I shouldn't," Tsuna said, mentally cursing his stutter.

Fon tilted his head slightly. "Ah, but I insist." He brought up one of his long sleeves to cover his mouth. "I assure you, young one, I won't bite unless necessary."

Tsuna made a small face. "How is _that_ supposed to reassure me?"

Fon's eyes somewhat crinkled, his amusement apparent. "I suppose it doesn't. But please, I won't ask again."

Fon spoke so pleasantly, Tsuna almost believed him— _almost_. However, he wasn't stupid. Though _that_ wasn't the ideal trait this Fon shared with his Storm, he _knew_ Fon—patient, kind, and gentle Fon. Ignoring his heart squeezing in his chest, Tsuna slowly walked over to sit beside Kyoya and placed his bag to the side.

Fon glanced at Kyoya's haori on his shoulders. "I see my nephew has taken a liking to you. You must be quite the catch. Are you perhaps interested in imprinting him, Kyoya?"

Tsuna clenched his jaw to keep it from dropping. " _Excuse_ me?"

Fon chuckled, but it didn't sound reassuring, and glanced at Kyoya who looked a bit amused. The joke was lost to Tsuna. He was still reeling from the fact that _Fon_ of all people indulged Kyoya with his animal, herbivore, carnivore bullshit.

"Perhaps I was too forward?"

"Very," Tsuna deadpanned.

"I apologize. My nephew rarely brings anyone home, much less a little chick, so I can only be curious, you see."

Tsuna felt like he just stepped into the twilight zone. What the fuck was he hearing? Shrugging off the haori from his shoulders, he roughly shoved it into Kyoya's hands.

"I'm sorry, _sir_ ," he said. "But please stop calling me a 'little chick'. This situation is already less than ideal for me and you're not helping in the slightest."

Sometimes his Storm could be dense and all Tsuna had to do was be blunt with him to get his point across, but this… This was just a whole other level.

Fon's lips twitched into a small smile. "I understand. You see, the best way to communicate with Kyoya is to refer to animal terminology, which I recognize is uncomfortable for many people. I hope you understand."

Tsuna furrowed his brows. "I'm sorry? Your nephew's also a human being and you're talking to him like he's some kind of, well, _animal_."

Kyoya huffed. "I am a _carnivore_."

Tsuna gaped. "Did you not hear what I just said about"—He clicked his tongue—"Never mind. Forget it. I'm too tired for this shit. And _stop_ calling me 'little animal'. I have a name."

Fon chuckled. "My, it appears you really found an interesting chick, Kyoya."

Tsuna's brow twitched. "If you call me chick one more time, I'll personally see to it that you never see daylight again, _sir_."

Fon just smiled. "Ah, where are my manners? I am Fon, Kyoya's uncle. And you are?"

Tsuna pursed his lips. God, he should've just went home. "Tsuna."

"And no surname?"

"I'm only returning the same courtesy. Also, I'm not an idiot. I know you people…aren't normal."

 _Definitely yakuza_ , Tsuna thought wearily.

Fon chuckled. "You are quite an amusing boy, Tsuna."

Tsuna's heart _ached_ when he heard his name. It was too painful, too surreal, yet it felt so wrong and so right at the same time. He was looking at _Fon_ again, his _Storm_. But this Fon wasn't his Storm. This Fon wasn't his Fon.

"Thank you," he said tightly. "I live to please."

Fon turned to Kyoya as he sipped his cup of tea. "And what brings you here, Kyoya? This is a rather pleasant surprise, but you rarely come without reason."

Kyoya had his eyes focused on the table, not looking up once during the one-sided conversation. It was an odd display of respect towards his uncle, and Tsuna couldn't help but be a little creeped out. Decimo's Cloud Guardian never saw eye-to-eye with Fon, who kept quiet about how much it hurt to see the only blood-relative he had left brush him off so easily.

"You heard about the herbivore," Kyoya said.

Fon sighed. "Yes, I have." He narrowed his eyes, which instantly put Tsuna on edge. "Yuji is a fool for going in the first place. He never heeds my warnings. Did you deal with his men?"

Kyoya looked rather proud when he spoke, "I culled them from the herd."

Fon nodded. "As it should be." He regarded Tsuna with a thin smile. "Isn't it fitting to cut the weak at the roots immediately to allow others to grow further?"

Tsuna widened his eyes. He didn't speak, too afraid of telling Fon that he agreed— _Tsuna_ was the one who thought that way, _not_ his Fon. But… this wasn't his Fon.

"Why not…cultivate them?" Tsuna said almost meekly, repeating what his Storm had always told him. "Even if they were weak, they…had their uses."

Fon's eyes turned colder despite his pleasant smile, sending shivers down Tsuna's spine. "In our world, it is kill or be killed, Tsuna. There is nothing in-between. Their incompetence in protecting my brother is unacceptable. We do not accept mistakes here." He picked up his cup of tea. "They are replaceable. We are not the strongest yakuza in Tokyo for nothing, you see."

Tsuna clenched his hands into fists on his lap. Blood rushed in his ears, and he felt his heart pick up its pace while this Fon's words repeated over and over again in his head. If Tsuna wasn't so weary, he would've snickered at the idea of having Fon agree with his ideologies—but this wasn't _his_ Fon. It had always been a fun little hobby to test the other man's patience and see when (and if) he'd snap. It had only happened once when Tsuna encountered some violent patients and nearly lost an arm if Fon hadn't swooped in like a raging typhoon; but even then, Tsuna hadn't done it intentionally. There had been a large turf war that night and it wasn't like Tsuna could turn the Mafioso away.

" _I don't see any point in punishing others for what they lack in, Tsunayoshi. You were quite hard on Viola. She's still young and has much to learn. Guide her, teach her, be patient—then she'll eventually be the person you can turn to with confidence. I believe you can do it."_

Tsuna released a shaky breath. "Yakuza, huh?"

Fon tilted his head. "Are you alright, Tsuna? You look pale."

"I'm fine. Just…cold."

This time, he wasn't lying. Kyoya huffed before draping his haori again over Tsuna's shoulders. "You will be useless if you get sick, little animal. Keep it on."

"Stop calling me 'little animal'," Tsuna said, unconsciously pulling the haori tighter around his body. "I _will_ punch you."

Kyoya slightly smirked. "You can try."

"Just wait and see, you little prick."

Fon watched the small exchange with a slight smile. "You certainly picked up an interesting one, Kyoya."

Tsuna just sighed. He wasn't even going to bother. The other occupants in the room merely glanced at him in amusement.

"He saved the herbivore's life," Kyoya said.

Fon raised a brow. "As in he was the one who performed the surgery? My, you are becoming even more interesting by the second, Tsuna." He tilted his head. "And you are only twelve, I presume?"

"Fourteen," Tsuna deadpanned.

"Ah, how young. But still, what you did was a magnificent feat. I must admit, you don't exactly look much."

Tsuna couldn't even bring himself to smile at the blunt way Fon addressed him. "His femoral artery took the most damage. I just stabilized it in time before it got worse. Sutured the artery. Great medical equipment you guys have. Deserves a gold star. Give the inventory guy a raise."

Tsuna left out the part about how the boss' subordinates flailed like a bunch of idiots. He internally grimaced. Ah, fuck, he didn't want to agree with this Fon or his Fon for that matter. If Fon was like this in this world, he didn't want to know how the others were. God, just thinking about it already elevated his blood pressure. He really needed that whiskey— _now_.

Fon smiled. "Why thank you. We only acquire the best."

"The little animal should stay," Kyoya said.

"Oh? But he is young, Kyoya."

"As a herd doctor."

"Ah, well, that doesn't sound terrible; however, how do we know if he can be trusted?"

"You don't," Tsuna said, his brow twitching. "Look, I just want my clothes back. I'm not a threat to any of your turfs or alliances, I have no affiliation with any yakuza here whatsoever—I only moved here a few weeks ago. I don't know you or whatever business you have going on in Kokuyo, Tokyo, Japan, whatever. I just want to leave. Isn't that better for both of us?"

"He has fire inside him," Kyoya said, disregarding everything Tsuna just said.

Tsuna pinched the bridge of his nose. He wondered how long it'd take for him to get mauled into pieces if he punched Kyoya right now or if he'd be able to at all. Well, he could try—nah, that was basically suicide.

Fon tilted his head. "Oh?"

"But they are small."

Fon raised a brow. "Small?"

"Don't even think about it," Tsuna said, grabbing his backpack. "I don't want any of you near me."

He flinched when Fon raised a hand and released a small red flame on his palm. It pulsed with suppressed power that made shivers crawl up Tsuna's spine. There was a warmth to it, but it wasn't as prominent as the raging crackles underneath the pale inner layer. What was worse was the very faint trail of Harmonization that hummed around the flame—Fon already had a Sky.

Tsuna didn't know how to feel about that. For one thing, he was frustrated that Fon already harmonized; but on the other hand, this wasn't his Fon. He just…didn't know. Was he supposed to be angry? He should be, right? But this Fon was different—he just wasn't _his_ Storm.

"Don't be afraid," Fon said softly. "It can't hurt you." He chuckled. "Well, unless I say otherwise. Are you familiar with this, Tsuna?"

Tsuna held his backpack tighter. "I don't—Why are you showing me that?"

"These exist in everyone," Fon said casually. "But they only manifest when a person's resolve is very powerful." He captured Tsuna's gaze then, his dark eyes almost taking on a reddish glow. "What is yours, Tsuna, to have manifested your own flames?"

Tsuna's knuckles turned white. "I—I don't know what you're talking about. You're all a bunch of lunatics."

"He's warm," Kyoya said, almost wistfully. "They are small but still warm, like Mother."

Fon tilted his head. "May I, Tsuna?"

Tsuna glared. "No." He stood up quickly, trying hard not to trip over his own feet. "Thank you, but this is as far as I'll let this go."

Smiling slightly, Fon distinguished his flame and retracted his hand in his long sleeve. "I apologize. I did not mean to frighten you."

Tsuna's heart clenched when he tossed Kyoya's haori on the teen's lap. "I hope I never see you again."

He didn't look back when he left the room or uttered any thanks when a maid returned his clean uniform. He didn't speak when he returned Kyoya's clothing or slipped on his shoes.

He only moved forward, feeling even worse with every trembling step.

* * *

"Are you alright, Tsu-kun?"

Tsuna continued stirring his miso soup with his spoon. "Hm?"

He flinched when a cool hand rested on his forehead. Nana frowned. "Well, you don't have a temperature."

Tsuna shook his head. "I'm fine. Just…tired." He forced a smile. "I had a lot of homework last night and didn't get much sleep. I guess…I had too much fun yesterday."

Nana laughed. "Well, young boys play hard. Don't push yourself too much." She squeezed his shoulder. "You can always come to me if you need anything, you know that, right?"

Tsuna nodded. "I know. Thank you, Mama."

Nana ruffled his hair and Tsuna wasn't lying about missing her warm touch already. His grip tightened around his spoon. He didn't know how long he could keep this up. Honestly, it'd be so much easier to let this all go, but he couldn't. After meeting Fon yesterday though, he was even more terrified to meet the others.

"Can I ask you something, Mama?"

Nana paused in washing the dishes. She peered over her shoulder with surprisingly determined eyes. "Of course. Don't be afraid to ask me anything, Tsu-kun."

"How do you cope?" Tsuna averted his gaze down to his barely touched rice. "When Otou-san isn't around?"

He heard dishes clink in the sink and the water running at a leisurely pace. He wasn't sure why he asked that or why it bothered him. Nana didn't talk about Iemitsu a lot and the only traces of the man were his late-night phone calls and monthly bank deposits. Tsuna knew little about the man from his world—Iemitsu had been a civilian who just happened to be a descendant of Primo. Here, he was the head of CEDEF.

When Nana spoke, her voice was soft. "I do what I can. I take care of you and the house, but"—She wiped her hands with a towel—"sometimes, I still feel like I'm not all there." She chuckled. "You might not understand, Tsu-kun. Maybe not until you're older."

"I know you cry sometimes at night," Tsuna said, making her tense. "I know you clean your wedding photo every chance you get. I know you're hurting inside." He set down his spoon on his table. "I know things, Mama. I'm not stupid."

Nana widened her eyes. "Oh no, Tsu-kun! That's not what I meant!"

Tsuna smiled almost bitterly. "Yeah, I know. That came out wrong. I'm sorry. I was just curious, that's all. You don't have to tell me anything but know that I'm here…if you want to talk, too. I'm…young, but I'm not dumb."

Nana let out a shaky breath before smiling brightly. She reached over to ruffle his hair. "You're truly kind, Tsu-kun. Thank you. The same goes for me, okay?"

Tsuna returned her smile much easier now. "Yeah."

For a moment, he felt just a little whole again.

* * *

Tsuna somehow managed to get through Thursday even if he ended up dozing off in some classes.

Yawning, he slung his backpack over his shoulder and left homeroom when the dismissal bell rang. He maneuvered his way through the throng of students with ease, his thoughts wandering here and there. Ah, fuck. Right—join a club. He clicked his tongue. Before he knew it, he ended up outside the same science lab he went to yesterday. The door was closed but he could hear some students chattering inside.

Tsuna wasn't so sure he wanted to go in. Seeing too many faces from his old life wasn't exactly the greatest thing that was happening so far and with his rotten luck, he might as well dig himself a deeper grave.

"It's you again."

Tsuna flinched. He slowly turned to see the Goro-poser walk up to him. The other man held some textbooks, a bizarre image when his Goro never even touched _magazines_.

Tsuna mentally cursed at his sudden inability to speak. "Um, I—I was just looking."

Goro's thin lips slightly twitched upward. "You seemed to have left in a hurry the other day."

Tsuna flushed. "Oh, that's because…there was something else I had to do that I forgot…"

"I see. Will you be joining us today then?"

Tsuna took a step back. "I—I have to think about it more…"

Goro nodded. "Alright. Well, we'll be here tomorrow as well. I hope to see you again, young man. No pressure though."

"Tsunayoshi." Tsuna swallowed a small lump in his throat. "Sawada Tsunayoshi. You can call me Tsuna."

Goro smiled then, looking infinitely kinder than Fon yesterday. Tsuna mentally shook his head. Fuck. "It's nice to meet you then, Sawada-kun. I hope to see you tomorrow."

"Yeah…"

Turning, Tsuna walked quickly through the empty hallways, the air too quiet save for his rushed steps. His legs nearly gave out when he finally exited the building. Taking in some deep breaths, Tsuna forced himself to move again. He just _couldn't_ face any of them. Why? Why couldn't he? Just, _why_?

What the fuck was _wrong_ with him?

His thoughts were cut short when a black car suddenly skidded to a halt in front of him. Yelping, Tsuna fell back onto his butt and winced. He rubbed his tailbone when the backseat window rolled down.

"Fuck," he said, biting his lip.

Tsuna's heart sank when he heard, "Get in the car, little animal."

* * *

 **A/N …Wow, look at that… That's Fon… :^)))**

 **So, there are some** _ **minor**_ **differences I made in Fon in this world, ahaha. Let me know what you think, yeah? :^D**

 **Thank you so much for your reviews, favorites, and follows! (showers you all with chocolate)**

 **Thank you for reading as well! I hope to see you again in the next chapter!**

 **Have a lovely day~**

 **Little Miss Bunny**

 **Revised: 4/23/2018**


	5. The First Step

" _Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage." –_ Lao Tzu

* * *

Tsuna didn't think twice—he scrambled to his feet and ran.

Reborn would kill him, bring him back, and kill him again, but Tsuna didn't care. His lungs burned as his small legs carried him down two more streets. Okay, the kid's cardio _sucked_. Had he also mentioned how ridiculously unnecessary the seal was, too?

Pushing through crowds of people, Tsuna finally stumbled into an alleyway before tripping over air. He hissed a small curse. Pebbles scratched his skin, making his chin and palms sting. Tsuna didn't have the chance to check his wounds when a shadow suddenly loomed over him.

"Do you need assistance?"

Tsuna scowled as he pushed himself up. He spat close to Kyoya's shiny dress shoes but the teen didn't move. "Having fun?"

Kyoya's lips slightly twitched. "Not with weak prey."

Scoffing, Tsuna stood up and brushed his pants. As soon as he stepped forward, Kyoya blocked him. Tsuna clicked his tongue. " _Move_."

"Have you forgotten?"

"I said to _move,_ or I'll make you."

"The herbivore."

Tsuna rolled his eyes. "Look, the fact that you hired a kid to be your father's doctor or whatever is already—guess what? _Insane_." He jabbed Kyoya's chest with his finger. "You know what? I've been regretting this from the start. I'm kind of hoping that your father just _dies_ already. Yeah, I'm petty but you're—"

He flinched when Kyoya suddenly grabbed his hand.

"You should be more careful, little animal," Kyoya said, his voice soft. Tsuna winced when Kyoya tightened his grip. The scratches on his palm burned even more. "Someone will get hurt."

Narrowing his eyes, Tsuna tried tugging his hand away but it didn't budge. Kyoya's hand was too hot. "Yeah, and that someone is _you_. Let me go or you're going to lose more than just your hand, bastard."

Kyoya merely raised a brow. "Is that a threat?"

"I'm glad you got it," Tsuna said dryly. "Now let me go."

"It's either the herbivore or your mother."

Tsuna tensed. "What?"

"Don't take me for a fool, little animal." Kyoya leaned down to whisper in Tsuna's ear, his hot breath ghosting his skin. "Choose wisely."

 _Know your place_ , went unsaid. Tsuna gritted his teeth. If he were in his old body, he would've bashed Kyoya's head against the wall and shatter some more bones. But he wasn't—and that fucking _sucked_. There wasn't anything he could do about it either, not unless he had the seal removed. What was the point of placing it in the first place if it only fucked him—the _kid_ — over even more? If Tsuna ever met Iemitsu, which he half-hoped and half-didn't, he was going to shred the man apart, figuratively _and_ literally.

The worst thing was the quickest way to remove the seal was…going to _Fon_. Nothing could ever change the fact that Tsuna's Fon wasn't here. No amount of this reality could assure Tsuna that he was making the right choice. It was selfish of him coming here, of taking that second chance. And now, he was beginning to see the price he had to pay for it.

Looking down at his feet, Tsuna clenched his free hand into a fist. His fingernails dug deep in his cuts and scrapes, but he ignored the intense burn in favor of keeping his breathing steady. Losing his composure in front of this brat was the _last_ thing he wanted.

"You are afraid," Kyoya said.

Tsuna restrained the urge to punch his face. "I'll _go_ , but not because I want to."

"Good."

"You can let go now."

Instead of doing what he asked, Kyoya tugged Tsuna out of the alleyway back to his car, like a parent with an unruly child.

"I said—"

"I'm blind, not deaf, little animal."

Tsuna wrinkled his nose. "Don't even _try_. You can't ever be funny."

Opening the door to the passenger side, Kyoya merely smiled, not looking up. "Precautionary measures, little animal. Some prey can be… _fickle_."

"I'm not a fucking animal unlike someone I know," Tsuna deadpanned. He pursed his lips as he forced himself to enter the car and slumped in his seat. "Oh wait, that's you."

Kyoya closed the door before making himself comfortable. "I am a carnivore."

Tsuna couldn't hold himself back from thumping his head against the window.

* * *

Seeing the Hibari residence again so soon was really having Tsuna jump up and down in joy—not.

He had hoped that they'd get hit by a car or something on the way here, but his wish was never granted. The driver was silent the whole ride and Kyoya didn't really say much either. Tsuna had made it his life's mission to beat the brat down a peg or two (or three) as soon as he was able to do anything without tripping over his own feet.

When the driver opened the door for them, Kyoya climbed out first before Tsuna followed. He scowled when they walked through the front gates. Nothing looked different other than a small increase in guards in the area. Tsuna didn't bother thinking too much about it. His headache was just going to get worse.

A servant silently appeared to hand him a pair of home slippers. Tsuna didn't utter any thanks or met the woman's gaze. He did feel a little bad when she flinched when he snatched the slippers from her but wasn't up for any apologies today. Fon would've given him a look that could make grown men cry.

Following Kyoya a few steps behind, Tsuna looked down at his palms. They were red, bleeding, and scratched up. He assumed his chin wasn't any better.

"Come."

Tsuna jumped when Kyoya slid a nearby door open and walked inside. He looked around, noticing that they were in a different part of the house than yesterday. Furrowing his brows, Tsuna followed the teen inside. They were in a small room that seemed more like a closet. The tall shelves were filled with neatly-arranged cookie boxes and containers. Several other snacks adorned the bottom and a small trash can was propped next to the door.

"You eat here?" Tsuna said, raising a brow.

Kyoya reached one of the higher shelves easily and took down a first-aid kit. "The herbivores come here to recuperate when needed."

Tsuna's jaw nearly dropped. "What?"

Kyoya grabbed two wooden stools from a small desk shoved in the corner. "Sit."

"You just—You just have your servants eat here?" Tsuna said, gaping at the wide array of snacks and candies. "Are you kidding me?"

"The herbivores still need energy, no?" Kyoya was too lax for Tsuna's taste. "Sit, little animal."

Eyes wide, Tsuna just plopped down on his stool ungracefully. "They're not _herbivores_ , you psychopath. They're _human beings_ who should be treated with some _decency_."

Kyoya opened the first-aid kit and easily found the ointment and rolled gauze. His eyes were still set on Tsuna's face, his milky-white orbs dull under the lighting. "Don't waste your thoughts on trivial things. Give me your hands."

Tsuna glared. "I want to leave."

Kyoya's lips faintly twitched. "You have already picked your choice."

"Against my will."

"You still chose it and now you will commit to it."

Tsuna bit back a sharp comment before shoving his hands towards Kyoya, palms up. "Do your worst, psycho."

Kyoya huffed. Whether it was a laugh or not, Tsuna didn't care. At this point, he was hoping to get infected from his wounds and die on the spot. Taking Tsuna's hands with surprising gentleness, Kyoya grabbed a fresh bottle of water from a lower shelf and poured it over his palms. Tsuna clenched his jaw, refraining a hiss, from the stinging pain.

"A doctor cannot heal without his hands," Kyoya said softly, dabbing some antibiotic over the scratches. Tsuna rolled his eyes. "How will you continue without them?"

"Something called prosthetics." Tsuna grimaced when Kyoya wrapped some gauze around his right palm. "The joys of modern science."

He raised a brow when Kyoya paused. The other teen's hands were steady and—okay, Tsuna (unwillingly) gave him some points for actually redressing the cuts properly. If Tsuna had to do it, he'd probably be at it for _hours_.

"Do not lose these hands, little animal," Kyoya said, resuming his work.

Tsuna huffed. "I'm not stupid, _mother_."

Kyoya's lips curled into a small smile. "And yet you fell over your own feet. Perhaps you need more help than I thought."

Talking to Decimo's Cloud Guardian was already awkward when the man barely spoke more than three words. Talking to _Kyoya_ was just way beyond the awkward threshold when he spoke _sentences_.

"You're charming," Tsuna said blandly. He tensed when Kyoya cradled his cheek. "What are you—"

"Lift your chin," Kyoya said, raising a damp cloth.

Pursing his lips, Tsuna grudgingly obeyed. He stared at the white ceiling and bright lights, his mind slowly becoming a haze. What Kyoya said wasn't wrong. Tsuna… _needed_ more help than he realized. There was no way he could do what he wanted alone without any resources, which just sucked even more. Back in his world, he was the Sky Arcobaleno, an underground doctor widely sought and respected by the mafia and low-life gangs, and someone who had the most powerful people by his side.

But that was then. Now he was a nobody, a middle-school kid with a flame seal who couldn't walk straight without tripping over his own feet every ten seconds, and someone with nothing on hand. Starting _fresh_ wasn't what it cut out to be.

Spiraling into that mess only made Tsuna's headache even worse. Closing his eyes, he released a shaky breath. He couldn't— _shouldn't_ —run anymore. No, he wasn't going to let some hiccup on the road prevent him from getting what he wanted. Then again, _this_ wasn't what he wanted: meeting ghosts of his past, a different Fon, having a seal on his flames.

"You are not at peace."

Kyoya's quiet voice abruptly snapped Tsuna out of his thoughts. Well, fuck, he forgot the brat was still here.

"Are you done?" Tsuna said, opening his eyes.

"I have been done for two minutes."

Tsuna reached up to touch his chin, which was taped with some gauze pad. When he finally looked at Kyoya, the other teen had his eyes lowered to Tsuna's collarbone. The first-aid kit was neatly closed beside his stool legs.

"You are troubled," Kyoya said.

Tsuna rose to his feet and headed for the door. His lips arched into a wry smile. Kyoya may or may not sense it, but Tsuna didn't know the extent of his abilities. And if Tsuna didn't know anything, it drove him to the edge. Being left in the dark was just as worse as being unable to do anything at all. As Verde would say, "Knowledge is every man's weapon. Some just use it better than others."

"Isn't every pre-pubescent kid? I'm sure you have your own issues, too." Tsuna raised a hand, not looking behind to see Kyoya's reaction. "Don't wanna hear it. Whatever biological, hormonal problems you have, not my area. Sorry."

Opening the door, Tsuna stepped out into the empty hallway. The doors to an outdoor courtyard were open, letting in the cool autumn breeze. The grass was well-kept and clean; some bushes with pink camellias decorated the stony path. Tsuna's heart constricted in his chest. His Fon loved peonies. Tsuna mentally shook his head. This didn't mean anything. He was just thinking way ahead of himself.

"What color are the flowers today?" Kyoya said suddenly, appearing beside him.

Tsuna licked his chapped lips. "Pink."

Kyoya hummed to himself but didn't push any further. He headed down the halls, silently beckoning Tsuna to follow. Not too soon after, Tsuna quietly fell into the other teen's step.

Pink camellias meant longing—what was this household longing for?

* * *

It didn't take them long to arrive at their destination.

They reached a much more solemn hallway that ended before a large set of doors. Two suited men stood guard outside, their tattoos peeking through their sleeves. They immediately straightened themselves when Kyoya appeared.

"Kyoya-sama," one of them said. He was bald and missing his left pinkie. " _Kumicho_ is inside."

Tsuna raised a brow. The _kumicho_ was the boss of all bosses in the yakuza. His word was law, above everything else. It wasn't rare for him to visit an injured _oyabun_ , which was the family head and ranked by his or her proximity to the _kumicho_ , but it wasn't common either. He wasn't all that privy to the details of the Hibari household; however, one of the things he at least knew was yakuza politics.

"He knows I am here," Kyoya said, his hand already on the door.

The guards didn't question him. They just moved aside and let him enter.

"—lishness again," a familiar voice said.

Tsuna tensed, his foot stopping short of taking another step in the wide, bare room. A futon was at the center head, surrounded by two long windows with the maroon curtains drawn. Some empty bookshelves stood at the wall with a few paintings hanging listlessly beside them. The light was dim but Tsuna could clearly see the other occupants: Fon and Kyoya's father.

Then that meant _Fon_ was the _kumicho_. Tsuna should've expected it, but still…

At the sound of their arrival, Fon turned to greet them. Tsuna didn't miss how his eyes had glowed faintly red before he assumed his calm mask. The change was almost immediate, like rippling water. Fon still wore black.

"Kyoya," Fon said, nodding. His eyes then flitted towards Tsuna. "And Tsuna, welcome." He tilted his head. "What happened to your face?"

"Your nephew needs a leash," Tsuna deadpanned. "And some lessons on human decency. I'm sure there are classes for him out there."

Now that he thought about it, did Kyoya even _attend_ school? Glancing at the teen, Tsuna noted his impeccable black suit and poise. Probably not.

Kyoya huffed. "You fell, little animal. That is not my fault."

"If you hadn't appeared at my school out of the blue and chased me down the streets, I'll consider it."

"You ran first."

"You _came_ first."

Fon smiled slightly. "I see that you are well then. I sent Kyoya to fetch you as soon as school ended. I hope you don't mind."

Tsuna deadpanned. "I do mind, thanks."

Undeterred, Fon stood up from the futon and walked over to them, his feet silent on the tatami floor. "Please, make yourself comfortable. Is there anything you need?"

Tsuna couldn't help but sigh. "Are there no other doctors in your arsenal? Someone with, I don't know, a legitimate license?"

Fon looked up at him with a faint smile. "None have these privileges as of now."

"Okay, okay." Tsuna's brain was at the point of combustion but he was fine, totally okay. Peachy. Never better. "Just—What's his stat?" He mentally cursed at himself. "I mean, um, his condition since yesterday."

He hoped that he didn't have to re-bandage the wound because he'd probably screw that up somehow. Actually, Tsuna didn't want to be here at all. Damn it, he should've just left Kyoya's father. Where was Reborn when he needed him? Or Lal?

"We will proceed with however you deem necessary," Fon said.

Tsuna furrowed his brows. "Wait, back up—so you just _waited_ for me to come here?" He walked briskly to the patient's bedside and dumped his schoolbag by his feet. His honed instincts instantly took over without him thinking. "Tell me you're kidding me."

"It is a lesson he must learn in order for it to not happen again."

"Way to take victim-blaming to another level," Tsuna mumbled under his breath.

Kyoya's father just stared at him, wide-eyed and silent. He looked fairly young in this position, vulnerable and pale with a sheen of sweat over his brow. Tsuna could barely see his resemblance with Kyoya other than his hair. Kyoya must take after his mother then, he thought idly.

Pulling back the sheets and ignoring the man's weak protest, Tsuna raised the other's pajama shirt just enough to get a glimpse of the bandages. Some blood soaked through. He clicked his tongue. "I need a basin with lukewarm water and a cloth. Clean gloves, waterproof gauze or bandages with some tape, plastic bag, towel, a bottle of water, and pain medication." He gazed down at Kyoya's father. "Do you have any allergies, sir?"

"N—"

"He does not have any," Kyoya said, cutting off his father.

Tsuna rolled his eyes. "Oh, I didn't know you were _sir_." He mumbled, "bastard," under his breath for good measure, knowing Kyoya would hear him anyways. Kyoya's father widened his eyes. Any more and Tsuna would have to consider doing an impromptu eye operation, which wasn't something he was willing to put on his "to-do" list.

"Anything else?" Fon said, amused.

"Some privacy," Tsuna said, making himself comfortable on the floor. He smiled thinly. "Doctor-patient privileges. I'm sure you understand."

Chuckling, Fon merely nodded. "I will put my brother under your care then."

Tsuna didn't offer him or Kyoya a farewell. Unzipping his backpack, he took out his notebook and a pen from a cute lion pencil case Nana had bought for him. Funny 'cause Decimo had a lion box animal he named Sora. Honestly, Tsuna would've named it Natsu but whatever. They both sucked at naming things apparently. (But Natsu was clever—to him anyways.)

He ripped out a fresh page. Clicking his pen, he directed his gaze at Kyoya's father. "This is weird for both of us, Hibari-san," he said blandly. "I don't know how we got here, but the less questions asked the better. I'm going to be blunt with you—You're lucky you're alive, though I can't say the same about your men. The knife cut clean through your femoral artery in your abdomen. I was able to stabilize the wound and stitch it in time. Just nod or shake your head. Did you have a fever in the last 24 hours or so?"

Kyoya's father shook his head.

"Okay, it might not be infected but I wouldn't celebrate too early." Tsuna scribbled down some notes. "Your full name is Hibari Yuji, correct?" At the man's confused look, Tsuna said, "Fon mentioned it the other day after you were brought in."

Yuji frowned when Tsuna spoke Fon's name.

"Leaving you like this is just ridiculously stupid, lesson or not," Tsuna said. "Either he doesn't give a crap or he just wants you dead."

Yuji's whole frame tensed. His rough hands curled into fists, wrinkling the sheets underneath him. Before either of them spoke, the doors quietly slid open. Three servants shuffled inside, carrying all the things Tsuna had asked for. Without meeting his gaze, they arranged them accordingly beside him.

"Thank you," Tsuna said.

The servants just bowed as they left the room, their feet soundless against the floor. After one of them shut the door, Tsuna moved closer to Yuji, startling the man for a moment.

"I'm going to help you sit up a little," he said. "Can you move?"

Yuji winced but complied anyways. He slowly sat upright with Tsuna's help. The man's back was tense and heavy under his hand. Clenching his teeth, Tsuna uncapped the Advil bottle and raised it over the man's mouth.

"Open."

He carefully popped two pills in Yuji's mouth. After helping Yuji sip some water, Tsuna slowly eased him back down on the futon, careful not to agitate his wound. Yuji grunted when his back met the ground again.

"It'll help with the pain for now," Tsuna said, rolling up his sleeves and slipping on some latex gloves. "A word of warning: I don't have the steadiest hands right now and this is the only apology you're going to get beforehand, Hibari-san."

"Y—Yuji."

Tsuna raised a brow. "Sorry?"

Yuji's lips slightly twitched. "Call me Yuji."

"I'm 14…"

"You are…my doctor." Yuji's dark eyes looked much too soft for an _oyabun_. "I wish for you…to be comfortable."

Tsuna huffed. "You do realize how ridiculous that sounds, Hibari-san. It should be the other way around."

"I've seen…stranger. But please, I insist."

Feeling an odd sense of déjà vu, Tsuna mentally shook his head before helping Yuji sit up again and unbuttoning his pajama shirt. The man's stomach was toned with some light scars, which was too bare for any yakuza member. Tsuna worked too slow for his tastes, his hands fumbling with unwrapping the white dressings.

Yuji hissed when Tsuna somehow pulled too hard at the second unwinding. Jaw clenching, Tsuna doubled down his pace even more. He glanced at Yuji whose lips were white from keeping them shut. How the kid could somehow screw up something as simple as _unwrapping_ things was mind-boggling—but it was the seal Tsuna blamed.

Finally— _finally_ —he managed to remove all the bandages and toss them in the plastic bag the servants had brought, also confiscating his gloves. Inspecting the wound, Tsuna was a tinge satisfied that the stitches didn't have to be replaced either. Other than some small bleeding, the wound was in good shape and not infected.

"You're awfully young," Yuji said, his voice a little raspy. Some color had returned to his face.

Tsuna raised a brow. "Yes, yes I am. Tell Fon the next time he comes around. He doesn't take no for an answer, does he?"

Yuji chuckled almost bitterly, averting his gaze to the floor. "No…does not exist in this household."

"Figures." Tsuna slipped on a new pair of gloves. "Your wound isn't infected but if it feels painful or swells, let someone know and they can reach me, I guess. I'm still not sure how this works. Definitely call if it smells bad or turns yellow, green, and any other weird color you can think of. Fever counts, too."

"You are…really 14?" Tsuna tensed but schooled himself quickly. Yuji's lips slightly twitched. "Ah, apologies. Less questions…the better."

Sighing, Tsuna wrung the damp cloth as much as he could. Other than Yuji's steady breathing and the trickling of water, no other noise pervaded the silence.

"Reading takes you a long way," Tsuna said. "I'm going to soak up the blood."

He lightly dabbed the blood around Yuji's stitches. Pursing his lips, Tsuna ignored the man's groans and cleaned the wound as delicately as the kid's hands would let him. His hate against the seal continued rising every second since he got here—here in the sense of this godforsaken (shitty) world. Vaguely, he wondered if he had any means to contact Kawahira but the man seemed very elusive.

"You can take a shower after the next 24 hours," Tsuna said, wringing the cloth over the basin. The clear water slowly turned light red. "No baths. Your wound can get infected or reopen if it gets soaked." Tsuna patted Yuji's stitches dry with a towel. Removing his gloves again, he dumped them in the plastic bag and slipped on new ones. He raised the new dressings. "Keep these on. They're waterproof. Pat your wound with a towel and let it air dry before you put on new ones." Yuji just nodded before Tsuna raised a brow. "Does anything hurt?"

Yuji smiled faintly. "No. Just…thinking."

"Right," Tsuna said dryly. His fingers twitched when another bout of silence passed. While he wasn't fond of overly-chatty patients, he wasn't fond of quiet ones either. "Talk. Helps with the pain. Distracts you from my mistakes, too."

Yuji huffed a small laugh, which sounded eerily like Kyoya's, just deeper. Tsuna rose up on his knees and carefully wound the first bandage around Yuji's stomach. His smaller arms barely reached Yuji's hip. Scowling, Tsuna wondered if a growth spurt would hit if the seal was removed.

"There's not much I can say," Yuji said quietly.

Tsuna didn't comment on it. He figured with a hyperaware son and an overly-domineering man-baby, things would be difficult. "Do you like camellias?" Yuji tensed underneath Tsuna's touch. "I saw the small gardens walking here. Figured this was your section of the house, something like that."

"No." Yuji's voice was thick when he spoke. "My wife loved them."

Tsuna internally cringed but maintained a cool face. "That's…nice." He ripped some tape and placed each on all fours sides of the bandages. "Well, take pills every few hours or so only when needed. I can't have you overdosing. We can take off the stitches in about two weeks. Wash the wound twice a day. Remember, no baths."

Yuji smiled as Tsuna helped him back down on his futon. "Thank you, _sensei_."

Tsuna wrinkled his nose. "Is this the part where I tell you I'm actually not a licensed doctor?"

Yuji chuckled. "That does not change the fact you saved my life."

"Anyone else would've done it, Hibari-san," Tsuna said, removing his gloves.

Yuji exhaled softly, his body relaxing against his futon. "No…no, they would not."

Tsuna stayed quiet as the man surrendered himself to slumber, his breaths evening out. With his eyes closed and face somewhat at peace, Yuji looked more like his Fon…

This was some fucked up joke on fate's end.

Scoffing quietly, Tsuna buttoned up Yuji's shirt with trembling fingers, one button at a time. He tore another page from his notebook, scrawled some notes, and laid it by Yuji's head with the bottle of water and two Advil pills.

His numbs legs buzzed when he stood up. Stumbling, Tsuna left the room without looking back. The same guards stood outside, turning slightly to face him.

" _Kumicho_ is waiting for you in the pavilion," one of them said.

Tsuna just nodded and let his feet carry him down the lone strip of the hallways Kyoya was nowhere in sight, but that didn't mean he wasn't lingering in the shadows and _not_ for the sake of his father either.

* * *

A female servant immediately met Tsuna when he arrived at the end of the hall and led him outside to the main garden.

Their footsteps were a muted cacophony of irregularity that somewhat grated on Tsuna's nerves.

"I didn't know what to do with the stuff," he said awkwardly. "So I just…left them there in Hibari-san's room. I hope you don't mind."

"You do not need to worry, _sensei_ ," the servant said, her voice quiet.

Tsuna pursed his lips. "You don't need to call me that. I'm not…a doctor."

Another servant brought him his sneakers when they reached an _engawa_ that lead out to the main garden. Mumbling his thanks, Tsuna quickly slipped them on and followed the female servant again.

They walked along a smooth, wooden path with small pebbles decking the sides. Some trees provided shade above them, their green leaves rustling in the cool breeze. Pink camellias decorated the bushes, pale and lovely, while a narrow stream led to a large pond with a red pavilion in the center. Tsuna wasn't exactly pleased in seeing it again, no matter how nice the garden was.

" _Kumicho_ is inside," the servant said, bowing at the end of the path.

"Thanks…"

Tsuna cringed when the small wooden bridge creaked underneath his feet. When he entered the pavilion, Fon was already seated on the table with two cups and a glass teapot. The tea buds were noticeable in the pale yellow liquid. Pulling back his chair, Tsuna plopped down and slid his bookbag down to his feet.

Fon nodded in greeting. "I imagine things went well."

"You're lucky Hibari-san's wound didn't get infected," Tsuna said, crossing his legs. "Or worse."

Fon's lips slightly twitched. "I'm glad."

Tsuna looked around the relatively small space instead of meeting the baby's eyes. The scenery was nice, peaceful even, but his nerves were all over the place.

"Would you like some tea?"

Tsuna brought his gaze back to Fon. "I do—"

"I insist."

Tsuna deadpanned. "—n't drink tea." He sighed when Fon easily lifted the teapot and poured Tsuna a cup. "You clearly…work out."

Fon smiled slightly. "It is merely a physical limitation that does not leave me vulnerable."

"Right…" Tsuna watched quietly as Fon sat back down and sipped his own cup of tea. "How do I know this isn't drugged or anything?"

Fon tilted his head though there was amusement in his eyes. "And why would I do that?" Smiling, he set down his cup on the wooden table with a light clink. "There are other easier means to keep you under control, Tsuna. Tell me, are you a threat?"

Whenever Tsuna's Fon was blunt, it was endearing. This wasn't.

"No," Tsuna said. "Then that would make you an idiot for even letting me in, much less take care of Hibari-san."

"And here you are." Fon nodded as if that explained everything. "Please, take a sip. You might enjoy it."

Tsuna peered inside his cup. The pale yellow tea smelled light and fresh with a delicate touch. "What is it exactly?"

"White tea. This in particular is called _báiháo yínzh_ _ē_ _n_. It's my favorite."

Tsuna's heart sank. His mind translated the words deftly: _White Hair Silver Needle_.

"My apologies," Fon said, snapping him out of his thoughts. "It means White Hair Silver Needle."

Tsuna forced his tongue to work. "Oh…sounds neat."

Before Fon could say anything further, Tsuna brought the cup to his lips and took a tentative sip. The tea tasted mellow before the sweetness kicked in. Not bad, but…

"Is it not to your liking?" Fon said.

"It's nice," Tsuna said, placing his cup down on the table. His mouth tingled from the sweet aftertaste before it disappeared. "I'm more of an oolong fan."

Honestly, he didn't like tea. Coffee was his go-to for anything. Tea only became a thing when Fon had sat him down and told him to breathe after a particularly rough night. It wasn't the best thing he ever had but Tsuna drank it only with Fon when the occasion arose. Somehow, that made the tea much more pleasant.

Fon smiled slightly. "To each their own."

Tsuna mentally steeled himself then. He wasn't going to run away now. It wasn't like him and he wasn't copping out. As much as he didn't want to admit it, he really was weak and useless. Meeting Kyoya and Fon may not have been something he predicted to happen so soon but he had to make do with what he had. Tsuna wasn't physically invincible like Skull, hyper-intelligent like Verde, or subtly devious like Viper; but the one thing he was good at was survival.

If he had to fight tooth and nail— _again_ —to reclaim a higher standing like before, even if it wasn't the same, Tsuna was going to fight.

"As Hibari-san's… _doctor_ ," he said, "I advise that you don't do something unnecessary like keeping his wound unchecked for 24 hours. I don't want my first official patient to die on me."

Fon's lips curled into a small smile. "You called yourself Yuji's doctor."

Tsuna bit back a smartass comment. He had to play this right or everything would collapse. "Yes." His voice was a bit strained but he forced himself to keep talking with as much grace he could muster. He really, _really_ wished Lal or Colonello was with him. His body felt like it'd explode any second. "But the reason I accept is not because I wanted to. There's something I need…help with."

"I assure you that you'll be paid for your services," Fon said, chuckling. "Unless you have another method in mind."

Tsuna blinked. Okay, he hadn't really thought about money. It wasn't a _bad_ idea though. Even if Iemitsu's money was enough for him and Nana to get by, Tsuna was going to have to do things under the man's radar if he wanted to plan ahead. Then again, Tsuna was 14 and a minor couldn't open a bank account in Japan without a legal guardian as a joint holder. Okay, being a minor sucked.

"Money isn't bad," Tsuna said casually. "But I have a bigger issue in mind. Yesterday, you showed me that…thing."

Fon raised a brow though his smile remained. "Thing? Care to elaborate?"

Pursing his lips, Tsuna resisted the urge to choke the man-baby, baby-man, whatever. "Your little magic trick. That fire stuff. Look, do I really have to spell it out for you?"

Fon chuckled. "That was no magic trick, Tsuna."

"Okay, but…what was it?"

Tsuna was many things but stupid wasn't one of them. Pretending to be one was just as taxing. No wonder Verde preferred machines over human beings.

"This"—Fon slipped a hand from his long sleeve and raised it in front of him; the same red flame ignited on his palm—"is a Flame. As I said before, it manifests when a person's resolve is powerful." He tilted his head, curious yet expectant. "Why do you ask?"

Tsuna clenched his hands into fists on his lap. The scratches on his palms burned underneath the gauze tapes. "I—They aren't"—he took a deep breath—"Ever since I could remember, I knew something wasn't right with me. I'm clumsy. Not even clumsy, I'm just _incompetent_. I can't walk without tripping over my own feet every second. It's hard to think straight sometimes. I just feel like…something's _missing_ and I don't know what it is." Tsuna averted his gaze down at the table. "I don't feel whole."

Embellishing a lie with some truths was more difficult than Tsuna had thought. His breath hitched when he remembered harmonizing with the Arcobaleno— _his_ Arcobaleno. No words could ever properly describe the euphoric feeling, but he had felt safe, warm, _complete_. Even with the curse, they had managed because they had each other. As dysfunctional as they could be, they were family and Tsuna never felt like he didn't belong. He loved them as much as they loved him, maybe even more.

Taking some more breaths, Tsuna looked up to meet Fon's gaze. He couldn't decipher what the baby was feeling, but he took his chance anyways. Fon's eyes seemed to take a redder tinge, his flame never disappearing.

Tsuna's voice was quieter when he spoke. "Kyoya—Kyoya said he felt something. He said my flames were small when we first met. You heard it yesterday, too. What did he mean?" He narrowed his eyes. "And don't try lying to me. I'm not stupid."

Fon didn't speak. He closed his hand into a fist, snuffing out his flame. Tsuna tensed when he stood up, his sharp eyes never leaving Tsuna's face. "I never said you were stupid, Tsuna, and I do not intend to lie to you. May I?"

Tsuna pressed his back against his chair. "What are you doing?"

Fon didn't stop walking until he stood at the table's edge. "I have wondered about this since yesterday." He smiled slightly, but there was an almost predatory gleam in his eyes. "You are an interesting one, Tsuna. In order for me to clearly grasp your situation, I must search your inner core or what you would call your spiritual self where your flames reside. It is improper amongst those with them; that is why I am asking for your permission."

 _At least he has_ some _tact_ , Tsuna thought, wrinkling his nose.

"Will it…hurt?" he said.

The one time someone had tried touching his flames with their own was during some banquet held by Vongola. It wasn't pleasant, like slugs crawling all over his skin, and he had never seen Reborn so murderous.

Fon smiled but it wasn't reassuring. "I will do my best to make you as comfortable as possible, but I cannot promise anything."

Tsuna pursed his lips. Slowly, he forced himself to relax. He could hear the small stream trickling into the pond and the trees rustling with the breeze. Some birds flew past, chirping and fluttering their wings. His heart raced against his chest. He vaguely wondered if Kyoya could hear it, wherever he was.

His mouth abruptly felt too dry. "Okay."

Fon didn't ask twice. Hopping down on Tsuna's lap, he placed his small hand against his chest and merely said, "Brace yourself."

A scorching sensation rippled through Tsuna's body, making him gasp. His Sky Flames crackled behind the fractional seal, hissing when the potent Storm Flames then appeared. They lightly prodded the seal and Tsuna could _feel_ them seep through and touch his flames—they _burned_.

 _They're too much!_ Tsuna thought, his breath hitching. _Stop! Get_ out _!_

It felt like his body was submerged in fire. His skin felt too hot. His lungs needed _air_ but there wasn't enough. He couldn't breathe—he _needed_ to breathe. Finally, the world spun sideways and the air whistled distantly around him. Black spots danced in his vision; the aching in his head and chest didn't leave, but oddly, he didn't meet the ground. He inhaled deeply, his flames calming down, like they were relieved the Storm Flames had left.

"You said it wouldn't hurt," Tsuna croaked out.

He nearly yelped when he was suddenly pushed upright onto his feet. Stumbling, he almost fell against the table if strong hands hadn't pulled him back. The scent of green tea wafted in his nose. Of course, it was Kyoya. Who else would it be besides Kyoya? Still, Tsuna leaned on the teen's chest, too exhausted to move. He'd most definitely fall on his face.

"I did not promise anything," Fon said, that infuriating smile still on his face.

Tsuna scowled but couldn't say the words he wanted to without fumbling. "I—You—You're an asshole, you know that?"

Fon leapt from Tsuna's chair onto the table and walked back to his spot. "Your flames are sealed." Tsuna tensed. "Though the seal is partial, that explains your incompetence." At Tsuna's glare, Fon chuckled. "Your words, not mine."

Rolling his eyes, Tsuna stood upright on shaky legs with Kyoya's help. "So now what? Can you help me?"

Fon sat down, taking his sweet time by sipping some tea. He barely looked miffed, which only pissed Tsuna off even more. "I can. However, given that the seal has suppressed your flames for as long as you've said, your body is incapable of withstanding them right away if I _do_ break it. They could possibly burn you from the inside out if worse comes to worst. Granted it's only a theory, I will be honest with you, Tsuna. Sealing flames is a forbidden art. May I ask what family you come from?"

Tsuna gritted his teeth. "I'm not asking you about _your_ family, am I?"

Fon chuckled. "Of course. But since you have saved my foolish brother, I am indebted to you. This will be your only payment."

"What happened to 'paying' for my services?"

Fon's lips slightly twitched. "As you said, you are not a licensed doctor. Am I correct in assuming that paying you would be an indirect way of supporting your not-so-legal practices? I may leap across some lines but I do not blindly jump off a cliff."

"I believe you're _perfect_ for writing fortune cookies," Tsuna deadpanned.

Well fuck, he somehow played himself without knowing. Then again, he didn't really think too far ahead of his seal, which was his main priority.

"I appreciate the sentiment, but my skills are better used elsewhere."

Clicking his tongue, Tsuna grabbed his bookbag and slung it over his shoulder. "Great. Are we done here?"

"For now. Would you care to stay for dinner?"

"I would _love_ to but I have to get back to my mom to make sure she's fine. You know, _alive_."

Fon chuckled. "Of course. We will call for you again."

Tsuna pursed his lips. "How long will it take for you to fix me?"

Humming in thought, Fon raised his cup. "That will depend on how soon my acquaintance will respond. All I ask for now is your patience, Tsuna."

Tsuna tensed. Fon's acquaintance? _Shit_. "Is this friend…like you?"

Fon sipped his tea. "I can say that he is quite formidable in his field." His eyes gleamed with amusement. "Perhaps he could teach you a thing or two."

Licking his chapped lips, Tsuna felt nauseous all over again. He didn't think he'd meet another Arcobaleno so soon, but who was it? Verde—fuck, was it him? He might be different though, like this Fon. But Tsuna couldn't imagine him as anything else aside from being a scientist. Because—Because Verde _was_ a scientist. His Verde was a scientist…

Still, the art of sealing flames wasn't well-known unless one was closely acquainted with the old ways or related to the much older famiglias like Vongola or Giglio Nero. That would leave…Viper. But—But there were too many anomalies, too many _possibilities_.

"Nice," Tsuna managed to say, "sounds nice. Thank you…for the tea."

Fon smiled slightly. "It was my pleasure, Tsuna. Travel safely. I look forward to seeing you again."

Tsuna's breath hitched. "Yeah. Good-bye."

With that, he turned and left the pavilion. Kyoya trailed quietly beside him, his hand resting slightly on his back, a steady support and something Tsuna found that he sorely missed, even if it was from him of all people.

Besides, Tsuna didn't have the strength to tell him to let go.

* * *

A car was already waiting for them at the front gates.

"I can walk home," Tsuna muttered under his breath.

Raising a brow, Kyoya opened the passenger door. "You will sustain more bruises than you can handle, little animal."

Tsuna sighed. "Whatever." Before he entered the car, he turned to Kyoya. "Don't…come in. I need space to think."

Kyoya's lips twitched upwards. "I did not say I was going with you, but I can if you want me to." Tsuna was glad Kyoya was fucking blind because his cheeks were definitely redder than normal. However, that feeling was short-lived when Kyoya lightly huffed. "Your heart rate is higher than normal, little animal. Perhaps I sh—"

"Oh, fuck off, asshole!" Tsuna said, startling the nearby guards and servants. "To think I was actually going to thank you for earlier—forget it."

His cheeks were practically burning when Kyoya smiled, showing some teeth. "That would be highly appreciated."

Tsuna clenched his jaw. "Jump off a bridge, bastard! I hope you fucking _drown_!"

He climbed into the car and shut the door, hoping it'd cut off Kyoya's fingers; sadly, it didn't. Not meeting the driver's gaze, Tsuna jammed his seatbelt on.

"Just drop me off at the nearest bus stop before I actually explode, thank you," he said.

The driver wordlessly pulled out of the long driveway and drove out onto the road. Tsuna's raging thoughts were the only sounds in his ringing ears. Looking out the window, he barely processed the rich houses that probably belonged to the Hibari family. No one walked the streets, and the sun was just setting over the horizon, painting the sky with dark oranges and purples. Everything was moving too fast, he could hardly breathe. Tsuna closed his eyes and willed himself to think of anything else but the present.

Colonello's loud, bright laughter carried through his ears, making him tighten his hands into fists and eyes burn. Viper's even breathing as he slept beside him soon took over, and Tsuna could feel the phantom sensation of his taller body enveloping him in a warm cocoon. Verde's steady voice washed over him like gentle rain, soothing his nerves considerably. Statistics, percentages, graphs—whatever he was talking about, it didn't matter. Tsuna could sleep easily if Verde was just reciting prime numbers or the chemical formula of Tourmaline.

Reborn's rare laughs made Tsuna tremble even more. The hitman had always complimented his espresso with subtle smiles that went unnoticed by the others. Tsuna let out a shaky breath when he felt Lal's callous hand ghost over his shoulder. Strong and firm, she had always been the anchor he needed. One slap from her and he could see the world in a better light again. Tsuna nearly sank in his chair when he imagined it as Skull's sturdy yet gentle arms. He missed the wind blowing in his air and snuggling against Skull's back on his motorcycle, breathing in his spicy scent that only belonged to him.

But they were only temporary.

Tsuna could still taste the mellow, sweet aftertaste of the white tea on his tongue. He saw only pink camellias instead of deep red peonies; a black _changshan_ instead of a red one; sharp eyes constantly watching him, picking him apart, instead of soft ones gazing at him with fondness, shamelessly taking in every part of him.

Something white appeared in Tsuna's blurry vision. Fuck, he was crying. Quickly wiping his eyes, he sniffled and mentally cursed at himself.

"Take this, _sensei_ ," a deep voice said.

Looking up, Tsuna finally noticed the driver handing him a handkerchief. He gazed out the window, noting that they were parked near a relatively busy street. A bus stop was just two blocks down.

"I—Thanks," Tsuna said, accepting the white handkerchief. He dabbed his eyes with the soft fabric, feeling even worse.

 _Way to let yourself go, idiot,_ he thought, scowling.

He sat in his seat for a while, trying to recollect his hazy thoughts. The driver rummaged through the storage holder in front of the shotgun seat and pulled out a water bottle.

" _Sensei_ ," he said, handing it to Tsuna.

Blinking, Tsuna took it with shaking hands. "Thank you…"

The driver just nodded and looked straight ahead again, giving him some privacy. Tsuna downed the water in seconds. He cringed when the plastic bottle crinkled but didn't stop drinking. After he finished, his throat didn't feel as clogged anymore and he could breathe a little easier now.

A few minutes of silence passed. It wasn't uncomfortable, just…embarrassing on Tsuna's part.

"You don't have to call me _sensei_ ," he finally said, clearing his throat.

"You saved _oyabun_ 's life," the driver said, not turning to meet his gaze.

"Anyone would've done it."

"No, they wouldn't. Thank you, _sensei_. I don't know what I'd do if _oyabun_ had died then."

Tsuna looked down at his hands. They were lax, fingers curled, lifeless. "You don't need to thank me."

"Saving _oyabun_ 's life—we owe you a great debt, not only from me or _oyabun_."

Unable to help himself, Tsuna smiled a bit. "Isn't it weird to be saying that to a kid?"

The driver chuckled. "I've seen stranger things. This doesn't come close to them."

"I don't know whether to be flattered or insulted."

"Before you leave"—the driver shifted and reached inside his suit jacket—"here, _sensei_."

Tsuna blinked when he handed him a white envelope. "What's this?"

"A small part of _oyabun_ 's debt."

"I can't take this."

"He insists."

Sighing, Tsuna accepted the envelope and slipped it inside bookbag. "Thank you, I guess."

The driver nodded. "Do you need more time? I can still drive you home."

Tsuna shook his head. "I'm fine, thank you."

The driver looked hesitant but didn't push any further, which Tsuna appreciated. He took some deep breaths before unbuckling his seatbelt.

"I'll wash this for you," he said, waving the man's handkerchief.

The driver whirled around, his eyes wide. "You don't have to, _sensei_."

Tsuna smiled. " _I_ insist." Getting a better look at the man, he noted his clean, side-swept hair and rugged features. Oddly, he looked similar to someone Tsuna vaguely knew. He just couldn't place him. "Can't have you holding onto my snot."

Chuckling, the driver just shook his head. "Alright."

Tsuna suddenly stuck out his hand. "Tsuna—you can call me Tsuna."

The driver bowed his head as he shook Tsuna's hand. "Kusakabe Asahi. It's an honor, Tsuna-sensei."

Huffing, Tsuna sat back in his seat. "We're going to have to work on that."

Asahi merely smiled. "I suppose."

Tsuna opened the door then paused halfway out. "You know, if your debt still stands, can we just…keepthis between us?"

Asahi's brown eyes softened. "That doesn't count as a debt, _sensei_. Come back with something better."

Tsuna couldn't help it—he laughed. It felt nice, like some weight was lifted off his shoulders. He gave Asahi a two-finger salute. "Got it, captain."

"Travel safely, Tsuna-sensei."

"Will do."

Asahi didn't leave when Tsuna climbed onto the next bus. He was pretty sure the man didn't go until the bus safely left and turned three streets down.

Still, that was oddly comforting…

* * *

Coming home—to Nana's _house_ 'cause none of this actually belonged to him—was always a little weird.

Tsuna was more accustomed to his small clinic in a backwards alley in Florence or even the back of a butcher's shop in Tokyo when he had been with Goro and his men. Home never was a word that fit right in his dictionary, more like a distant ideal that was fogged up by reality. He still remembered what Hitomi, Goro's wife, had told him, "You never feel completely at home, Tsu-chan, because some part of you—of your _heart_ —remains elsewhere."

Aside from the ridiculous nickname, Tsuna could see where she was coming from. And it was hard, when this world— _Nana's house_ —slowly encapsulated that word.

The lights were on, casting a warm glow in the apartment. Most of the boxes were unpacked so far and it almost looked like the kid's old place—almost. He could hear Nana in the kitchen like always, her soft humming seamlessly blending in with the clinking dishes and running water.

Walking as quietly as he could, Tsuna skirted past her but apparently she had eyes on the back of her head.

"Tsu-kun? Are you home?"

Tsuna bit back a curse. He forced on a quick smile and swiveled on his feet to face Nana. "Yeah, I'm h—"

He stiffened when Nana dropped a plate onto the floor, the glass shattering on impact. "What happened to your _face_? Who did this to you?"

Nana was already all over him before he could even blink. Her voice was borderline screechy—scratch that, she _was_ screaming.

"Mama, I'm f—"

"Don't say that!" Nana said, tilting his head this way and that. "You promised you'd come to me if anyone's bothering you! What happened? Tell me." She sucked in a deep breath. "I can't—I can't lose you a second time, Tsuna."

Tsuna stiffened when Nana rested her head on his shoulder. He faintly felt his shirt turning wet but didn't move.

"No one did this to me, Mama," he said quietly. "I kind of did this to myself. I tripped when I was running."

Nana's breath hitched before looking up. Tears streamed down her cheeks, making her look vulnerable and oddly young. Tsuna wished that they'd just disappear, that Nana would just smile again like she always did.

"I'm being serious." Tsuna chuckled but that didn't really help. "My…friend surprised me and I kind of just ran. You know, instincts. It's the truth, I swear."

Nana pursed her lips as she wiped her eyes. "Tsuna."

"Look"—Tsuna raised his hands to let her see the wrapped gauze and pointed at his chin, too—"he did this. Well, he kind of made me like this with all the running and tripping anyways, but he also did…this."

"Tsuna." He could barely keep himself from flinching at Nana's solemn tone. "You're not lying to me, right?"

Widening his eyes, Tsuna shook his head. "I wouldn't! I'm telling the truth!"

A beat of silence passed before Nana's lips twitched into a small smile. "Okay."

Tsuna blinked. " _O_ kay…?"

Nana nodded. "Okay. I believe you. _But_ "—she rested her hands on her hips and Tsuna had never thought that she could look as intimidating as she did now—"you will bring him here and we'll have a nice _talk_."

Mind reeling, Tsuna didn't know whether to laugh or cry at the thought of Kyoya meeting Nana. He was more supportive of them _not_ meeting. Besides, Kyoya wasn't his friend.

"He's…really shy," Tsuna said, internally wincing at how meek he sounded.

"You will _bring_ him here, _alright_?"

"Okay…"

Then, just like that, Nana brightened up again. "Wonderful. Now go wash yourself. Dinner will be ready soon."

Tsuna just nodded numbly and skittered to his room. After he closed his door, he shuddered. Nana could be absolutely _terrifying_. Making a mental note to never get on her bad side, Tsuna turned on the lights and dumped his bag on the floor. He changed into some t-shirt and shorts before pulling back the window curtains. Light rain pattered on the windowpane, but he could still see the traffic and pedestrians bustling in the streets below.

Closing his eyes, he took a deep breath and counted to ten. His heart rate was normal, the blood in his veins pulsing at the standard pace. He unzipped his bag and fished out the white envelope Asahi had given him. His suspicions were confirmed when he opened it and was greeted with several bills. A small note was taped inside. The handwriting was light and shaky, as if the person struggled with the motion.

 _This is not enough to express my gratitude but please accept it. – Hibari Yuji_

Tsuna huffed a small laugh as he slumped on his bed. He didn't know why he expected anything else, but for once, he didn't want to be proven right.

* * *

The rain subsided when morning came, but there was a lingering, faint haze that colored Kokuyo's streets gray.

Tsuna tapped his finger to a nameless tune on his desk. His classmates' chatter was mute in his ears, a faint buzz that kept him somewhat grounded but not enough for him to escape his thoughts. His skin tingled when he remembered Fon's flames sweeping through his body, the intense heat almost ghosting his nerves and veins like a too-powerful, curious hand. Tsuna pinched the bridge of his nose and mumbled a curse.

He tensed when the door slid open, only relaxing when he heard the familiar clicks from Sasaki-sensei's heels. A hush fell over the classroom, prompting him to look up. Tsuna raised a brow. There wasn't anything wrong. So…?

"Good morning, everyone," Sasaki-sensei said, shifting through her books. She glanced at the doorway. "Come in. Ah, right."

Before she could walk over, a familiar lone figure stepped inside the classroom. Whispers immediately erupted among the students while a few girls gasped. Tsuna froze when he saw who it was.

 _You have to be fucking kidding me_ , he thought, groaning into his hands.

"This is Nakano Kyoya," Sasaki-sensei said. "He just transferred from Nakameguro an—I'm sorry, Sawada, is there a problem?"

Tsuna flinched. He could feel all eyes suddenly on him. "No," he said weakly. "I'm okay…"

He was _far_ from okay, way over it and sinking deep in the Sumida River—if it were only true.

Sasaki-sensei just raised a brow but continued anyways, "This is his first time in Kokuyo so be nice, alright? Also, be _mindful_."

"Is he blind?" a student whispered a few desks down.

Tsuna just rolled his eyes. Fucking idiots.

"Is there anything you'd like to say, Nakano?" Sasaki-sensei said.

"No," Kyoya said. Oh, but Tsuna could just _feel_ the smugness rolling off of him in waves.

"Alright, well, you can sit behind Sawada. Would you like some assistance?"

"I will be fine."

The room was quiet aside from Kyoya's steady and sure footsteps. His long strides were confident as he easily walked down the aisles. His gaze swept past Tsuna's face to the desk behind him. A faint whiff of cherry blossoms and green tea drifted in Tsuna's nose when he passed by. Tsuna couldn't move, his gaze never leaving Kyoya's face. The teen's eyes were unnervingly fixed on him, as if he could _see_ him there. Tsuna tensed when the chair scraped behind him and Kyoya finally sat down.

Not long after, Sasaki-sensei spoke again, "Yoshida-sensei is out today so you will be having study hall instead of history later." She raised a brow when some students cheered. "But he has left worksheets and assignments for you to complete."

While the students groaned and protested, Tsuna tried hard not to shrink or bring attention to himself. He nearly jumped when Kyoya whispered in his ear, "Hello again, little animal."

Gritting his teeth, Tsuna turned around to glare at Kyoya. "Look, learn to take a joke. I didn't actually _mean_ come to _my school_ when I said to take classes on human decency."

Kyoya just crossed his arms over his chest, looking like a king despite his middle school uniform, and shrugged. "Precautionary measures."

"This better be _your_ idea and not _his_ or else I'm going to be adding more people on my hit list."

"As I said, little animal, precautionary measures." Kyoya's lips slightly twitched. "But I would like to see you try."

"You're not even 14."

"I am now."

Tsuna was sorely tempted to jump out the window and plummet to his death. Instead, he just sank in his seat and sighed.

He hated this world with a _passion_.

* * *

 **A/N It's going to get wild, peeps. :^D**

 **Thank you for your reviews, favorites, and follows! They mean that I'm doing something right, haha. I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Tons of stuff happened here and oh wow, look at that angst, ahahaha.**

 **I'm pretty psyched for this story—it's going to get real pretty quick. ;^)**

 **Thank you for reading! I hope to see you again in the next chapter.**

 **Have a lovely day~**

 **Little Miss Bunny**


	6. The Absence of Power

" _Best not to mix the past with the present. The present paints the past with gold. The past paints the present with lead."_ – Henry Rollins

* * *

As soon as the bell rang for lunch, Tsuna stood up and gestured his head towards the door out of habit. "We need to talk."

Raising a brow, Kyoya followed him not too far behind. Tsuna ignored how quiet the room had become as he headed outside to the courtyard. Some students were some distance away, kicking around a soccer ball. He found a small isolated area of grass before swiveling on his feet to face Kyoya. He nearly stumbled if he hadn't held onto the fences for support.

"Yeah, this is fun," Tsuna said, scowling when Kyoya huffed a small laugh. "Anyways, why are you here?"

"You wanted me to follow you," Kyoya said.

Tsuna rolled his eyes. "Ha, ha, very funny. You get what I mean. This is _stalking_ , which is _illegal_."

Kyoya's lips slightly twitched. "We abide by our own laws, little animal."

Sighing, Tsuna sank to the floor. His head ached; also, his hands shook a little more than usual. Now that he thought about it, which was a first for some reason, they never really disappeared since yesterday. Either way he hoped the nurse had Advil or something. Maybe he shouldn't have stayed up last night watching basic suturing methods on YouTube, but why did he get the feeling that that wasn't the reason?

"Okay," he said, "all jokes aside—not that you were funny at any point— _why_ are you here?"

Kyoya shifted on his feet, his brows furrowed. "You are not well."

"Your uncle did some crazy things yesterday if you forgot already. I'm feeling _peachy_." Tsuna glanced down at his hands; his fingers were trembling. New bandages wrapped around his palms, which Nana had done that morning. "He didn't really explain anything so I'm just as lost as you are." He pursed his lips. "Unless you're in on it somehow and not telling me."

Kyoya's gaze was still fixed on Tsuna's chest. "I do not know. Even if I were to have that information, I would not tell you." He tilted his head like an innocent child. "What would warrant you the right either way?"

Tsuna opened his mouth, thought better of it, then closed it. Kyoya…had a point, a serious point that wasn't really helping Tsuna feel any better. Mentally sighing, he massaged his temples to think. Goddamn it, he just wanted to _think_ and actually _look_ at what the hell was going on here. Unlike Verde, surprisingly, Tsuna had a tendency to think _way_ too much. Well hey, it saved him and the Arcobaleno a few times but none of them really approved of it.

Yet ever since his proxy-death, rebirth, whatever, it was proving to be useless. His mind drew blanks and it was hard to grasp a concrete thought without losing it again, like wading through quicksand.

"Little an—"

Tsuna shook his head. "Give me a moment." He took a deep breath then slowly exhaled. It didn't help much but at least he knew where he was. "Okay, back to you. Yes, you're right in a sense. I'll give you that much. You don't have to tell me anything that's none of my business; however, whatever's wrong with my body is something I _should_ know. So I'm going to ask you again: why are you here?"

Kyoya mulled over his words for a moment before speaking again, although more cautiously. At least one of them could think. "It's my responsibility as a carnivore to maintain the herd."

"Technically, I'm only a third-party," Tsuna deadpanned. "That random pigeon you see in the trees twice a week or something, I don't know. But I'm not part of your herd."

Kyoya smiled faintly. "You have been when you saved the herbivore."

"What the hell do you eve—Wait." Tsuna buried his face in his hands to recollect his scattered thoughts. A gentle wind swept through the fields, and the students' lively chatter was too distant for him. For a moment, he thought the breeze would blow him away. Shivering, he brought his knees closer to his chest. "So by saving Hibari-san, I'm essentially tied to your family by—by _association_? You do know that I'm not a real doctor, right? I'm going to get out of your lives in two weeks and we're going to forget that we exist."

"You must come every day," Kyoya said, brushing off what Tsuna had said, "to tend the herbivore."

"Oh, now he's a plant," Tsuna mumbled under his breath. "I'm not _refusing_ to treat him, I'm just…not sure if all of _this_ is necessary."

"Kokuyo is my territory, little animal."

"Yours or your father's?" Tsuna didn't know why he asked, but even to him, he sounded exhausted.

He tensed when Kyoya took a small step towards him, the grass crunching underneath his shoes. "Mine."

He didn't look up to see Kyoya's face. He wasn't aiming for a mini-heart attack at the moment. Suddenly, he remembered Decimo's Cloud Guardian making frequent trips back to Japan—Right, _Namimori_. Maybe Tsuna had heard something about him running his own organization like CEDEF but not exactly like it. Either way, the details were fuzzy and they weren't helpful. Tsuna didn't even know why he remembered it.

"Okay," he said, sighing. "Think of it this way. I'm helping your father to get something in return. And you know, it's great that I'm being honest with you. Your uncle's even _for_ it and I'm grateful for what he's doing. I don't know if it'll completely fix me but at least I won't be totally incompetent." Finally, he raised his gaze to meet Kyoya's, who simply looked down at him in curiosity, like a child inspecting a new toy. "Did he get into contact…with his friend?"

Unbuttoning his suit jacket, Kyoya said, "Yes, I heard him call but I do not know all the details."

Tsuna tensed when Kyoya draped his uniform over his shoulders. "I'm not cold." He raised a brow when Kyoya just stood over him. "I have my own jacket on."

Still, he didn't mind the extra warmth Kyoya's larger jacket offered him. He felt a little smaller though—just a little.

"I know," was Kyoya's cool response.

Huffing, Tsuna shook his head. He tried backtracking their conversation to remember where they left off but strangely, nothing came up. "What were we talking about again?"

Kyoya quirked a brow. "The carnivore."

"You need a better organizational system for which is which," Tsuna mumbled. "Better yet, speak _Japanese_. _Which_ carnivore?"

"My uncle."

Tsuna frowned. "Right. So was he able to make contact?"

"Yes, but I do not know the details."

Tsuna furrowed his brows. "I thought you could hear 'far enough'." Kyoya huffed but surprisingly didn't respond. Tsuna narrowed his eyes. "I thought we had a thing going. I say something, you say something back—what? Did you get outed or something?" Kyoya pursed his lips, still remaining quiet. Unable to help himself, Tsuna grinned. "You got caught, didn't you?"

Ironically, Kyoya's silence was _very_ telling.

Tsuna suddenly burst out laughing. "Oh my God, did he tell you to screw off? Oh, that's fucking _gold_!" He doubled over with giggles and snorts but couldn't stop. He didn't want to anyway. "This is just—just great. Oh my God, I don't know why I'm laughing b—"

"Stop."

"—ut this is just too good. What did he say?"

"I won't repeat myself, little animal."

Tsuna made the mistake of looking up. A light shade of red dusted Kyoya's cheeks, which only made him laugh even harder. Honest to God, how they got here was beyond him.

"Don't eat me but you're actually adorable," Tsuna said, snickering.

Ah shit, he wished he had his phone with him. Kyoya's not as red as a tomato but this was probably the reddest he'd become in front of Tsuna (or ever). Wiping his eyes, Tsuna grinned crookedly. It was a little weird but he kept forgetting that Kyoya was technically a kid.

Tsuna stretched out his legs, getting rid of the numbness. The grass and dirt was soft and cool underneath his hands. "It's a good thing. I bet you get it all the time."

Kyoya's face looked a little pinched as he tried regaining his composure again. "I won't eat you."

Tsuna snorted. "I mean, carnivores eat herbivores to survive, right?"

"You are not an herbivore."

Tsuna raised a brow. "Really? I don't know, 'little animal' sounds like an herbivore."

Kyoya's lips slightly twitched. "It's different."

Tsuna rolled his eyes. "Right, different. So, do you know who the friend is?"

"He's a carnivore."

"…anything else?"

Kyoya smiled. "You can trust him."

Trust—Tsuna could trust no one here. He couldn't even trust this _Fon,_ even if he was helping him break the seal. There were too many incongruities and Tsuna just _didn't_ know what to do. The way he was handling it was probably terrible but if he could just fucking _think_ …

"Yeah," Tsuna said, sounding hollow even to himself. "We'll see."

Standing up, he brushed his pants and glanced at the clock on the other side of the school building. "We have ten minutes left. I hope that none of your entourage is here. You're already kind of s—"

"Watch out!" someone shouted.

Tsuna blinked before he felt a short gust of wind brush his face. He numbly stumbled back, tripped over air, and fell on the floor. Kyoya had easily caught the stray soccer ball with his hand, blocking it from hitting Tsuna's face. Widening his eyes, Tsuna scrambled to his feet.

"Can you throw it back?" one of the boys on the field said.

Tsuna glared, making him flinch. "You fucking suck!" He glanced at Kyoya who barely looked miffed. "Are you?"

Kyoya just smirked. Turning, he tossed the soccer ball in the air a few times before sending it up high. The students' confused and angry shouts immediately died down when Kyoya spun and kicked the ball across the field, over the streets, and landing in God knows where. Actually, it was probably still going.

"A little flashy but I'll take it," Tsuna said.

Kyoya puffed his chest a bit at the compliment, looking a little too pleased. "You are not in danger anymore."

Tsuna sighed as he shrugged off Kyoya's jacket from his shoulders. "Kyoya, you're going to have to do a lot more than that to get me out of danger. I'm probably the worst trouble magnet in existence. But guess what, your uncle's going to do just that. You just stand-by, I guess."

He tried to throw Kyoya's jacket over the other's shoulders but the height difference was a little much and his sense of balance was all over the place. Kyoya steadied him before he actually fell again.

"See, this is more your thing," Tsuna said, trying hard to keep his voice calm. He raised a brow when Kyoya didn't let go of his arm. "Your job's done here."

Kyoya huffed. "It is _far_ from over, little animal."

"They're going to stare."

"That is no concern to me."

Tsuna's brow twitched. "Yeah, that's great." He eyed Kyoya up-and-down. Before the teen could wear his jacket properly, Tsuna suddenly said, "Keep it like that. You actually look better with the whole cape thing. Come on, I'm hungry."

This was probably the first and last time Tsuna would really admit it though. How much longer until he could drink that whiskey again?

* * *

School was never comfortable to begin with, but with Kyoya shadowing his every move, it was close to being unbearable. Tsuna was just too drained to really do anything about it. He knew when to pick his battles and this was just something he'd lose either way.

Though if someone kept pointing out if Kyoya was blind or not, he was going to strangle them. What made it a little much was how everyone in the school somehow found out what Kyoya did with the dumb soccer ball. Seriously, were kids running on one-track minds? Then again, what did Tsuna know about school and the juvenile social hierarchy? He never attended until now. Then again, Kyoya probably never went to school either.

After the dismissal bell rang, most of the students stood up from their seats to leave, their chairs scraping on the wooden floors. Tsuna stuffed his notebook in his bag and headed for the door until he heard a few boys talking beside him.

"Hey, just go and ask."

"You do it."

"Man, I'm not going up to him! Weren't you the one who kicked the ball?"

"I still can't find it! Shit."

"Ask him to pay for it or something."

"You think he even has the money for it?"

"I don't know but maybe he's from a loaded family."

Pausing in his step, Tsuna tapped his finger on the doorway before swiveling on his feet and facing the three male students. "Oi." They stopped talking to look up at him. "I've been bearing this all day and I just can't seem to wrap my head around it. Yeah, Kyoya's blind. So what? Do you have anything else to say? Ask him. He's not fucking mute."

The whole classroom froze in the ringing silence. All eyes were on Tsuna, but he didn't pay them any mind. He kept his gaze steady on the three boys in front of him. One of them looked anywhere but him and the other two seemed to debate on ripping him a new one or pummeling him to the ground.

"Do you have something against people with disabilities?" Tsuna said, raising a brow. "If you're going to keep talking shit with the other guy in the room, fuck off or grow some balls and talk to him yourself." He gestured at a clearly amused Kyoya, who had moved to his side. "Go ahead. He doesn't bite."

Silence reigned over the classroom. Every student stared at Tsuna with wide eyes, some even returning to the room to see what was going on. Even Sasaki-sensei, who had been organizing her papers and books, looked up to watch with furrowed brows.

"I'm blind," Kyoya suddenly said, startling everyone but Tsuna. "Not stupid."

One of the boy students—Shigeo, Shigeru, whatever—finally stood up from his seat. "I—We don't think you're stupid, Nakano."

The boy flinched when Kyoya's gaze pinned him to the spot. Before either of them said a word, Sasaki-sensei rapped her knuckles against her podium, drawing everyone's attention. "Before we all leave today, may I have a word? Sawada, Nakano, wait outside."

Great. Pursing his lips, Tsuna tugged Kyoya outside and stood by the window across the hallway. Kyoya merely crossed his arms over his chest, shadowing him like usual. A few students walked past them, their gazes lingering on Kyoya until Tsuna scowled at them. They immediately scampered off like terrified mice, not looking back once.

Tsuna sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose, leaning heavily on the cream-colored walls. "Whatever they say, don't buy them that stupid ball—their fault. Don't even offer them anything."

Kyoya huffed. "I was never going to."

"Glad we're on the same page."

They waited there in silence, which would've grated Tsuna's nerves if he wasn't dead on his feet. Right, he forgot to stop by the nurse's office. Holy shit, was this some kind of short-term memory loss he was experiencing? He had seriously forgotten what he and Kyoya talked at lunch and that never happened to him, ever. Thinking about it only made his head throb even more.

"I was not born blind." Kyoya's soft voice snapped Tsuna back to reality. Blinking, he turned to Kyoya whose eyes lingered on the classroom door across from them. "When Mother took me to Shibuya, we were ambushed. I lost both her and my sight that day. The carnivore taught me how to overcome it."

There was a wistful edge in Kyoya's voice that made Tsuna's heart constrict in his chest. He knew that feeling…

"It's different…to see the world in ways you wouldn't utilize." Kyoya smiled slightly, lost in memories that would only appear in his head and not in front of his eyes anymore. "I sometimes miss Mother's flowers."

Tsuna looked down at his feet. For a moment, it was just him and Kyoya, not Decimo's Cloud Guardian. Kyoya _wasn't_ Decimo's Cloud Guardian—he was just Kyoya, a son to an _oyabun_ in Tokyo's most powerful yakuza and nephew to the Storm Arcobaleno, a child. He had experienced loss in ways that Tsuna might not completely understand, but he knew how it felt to lose someone you love. And for Kyoya to disclose something so personal that neither Fon nor Yuji told him was extremely telling—Tsuna _hated_ it.

It made him feel worse. He was looking at all of this in the wrong way. How could he ever think that this world was like his own, could ever _be_ like his own? Kawahira's words rang clearly in his head: _"However, they won't know who you are. You're starting fresh here. This world is not like yours."_

And Tsuna thought he could do it like the idiot he was.

"Why are you telling me this?" he whispered.

Kyoya didn't respond right away, and Tsuna didn't push, but he wanted to tell someone so badly about the grief that threatened to spill over the brim. Instead, he kept his mouth shut. There was no way things would go right if he did. No one could know.

"I don't know," Kyoya said slowly. "There is something about you, little animal. You feel warm."

Tsuna tensed. Warm—their first meeting when Kyoya had tried poking the seal with his Cloud Flames. He had briefly touched his Sky Flames, and someone inexperienced like him would only be curious about their effects. Tsuna _prayed_ that Fon gave Kyoya some detailed lecture about the flames' attributes and not some half-assed "Hey, this is a Storm Flame" and leaving it at that because that was just some shitty crash course with no benefits whatsoever other than probably stroking his own ego.

"I don't know what you mean by warm," Tsuna said, "but I'm practically a human popsicle."

If Kyoya knew he was lying, he didn't question it. "You can keep my jacket. I have more to spare."

Tsuna huffed. "I'm fine. It'll take forever to grow into it anyways." He sighed. "Can you hear what she's saying?"

"Yes."

"…care to share?"

"No."

"You're just the light of the party, aren't you?"

"Always."

Before Tsuna could retort, the doors slid opened and his classmates flooded out into the hallways. Most didn't look at them, but their whispers were discernible in the stuffy air. The few who did looked embarrassed. Tsuna just raised a brow as they passed by. Soon, Sasaki-sensei appeared at the doorway and beckoned them inside. Patting Kyoya's arm as a signal to follow, Tsuna entered the room with the teen trailing behind him.

Sasaki-sensei gestured them to come closer to her podium, her lips pursed. "I won't keep you both for long."

"It's okay," Tsuna said blandly. "Are we in trouble? Because I don't think we deserve it."

Sasaki-sensei shook her head. "You're not in trouble, Sawada, nor you, Nakano. I just wanted to make sure that no one is bothering you. I informed your classmates on being sensible and mature in situations like these." Her eyes softened. "I understand that it's difficult, Nakano, but I'm here if you need me. One of my good friends is blind so you can say I'm quite accustomed to these cases."

Tsuna subtly nudged Kyoya's side to make him speak. "Thank you," Kyoya said. "I'll keep that in mind."

Sasaki-sensei nodded. "Of course." She grabbed her books and tucked the attendance folder underneath her arm. "And Sawada, I was initially worried about you in the beginning but it seems like you'll be fine."

Tsuna blinked. "What do you mean?"

Sasaki-sensei smiled slightly. "You seem to be a good friend. Although you could do without the rough language. Perhaps Nakano can help you with that."

Kyoya may have been quiet when they left, but Tsuna swore he was laughing on the inside. He was sure of it.

* * *

"Why must you stay longer?"

Tsuna sighed, resisting the urge to thump his head against the wall. "Because my mom wants me to make friends."

Kyoya's lips slightly twitched. "Am I not your friend?"

"You're…different."

Kyoya raised a brow. "Oh?"

Ignoring him, Tsuna took a deep breath and opened the door to the science room. The lights were off and the window shades were closed. A handful of students were seated at their desks; Tsuna recognized two of them from his class. A white projector provided the only source of light, displaying a picture of a whooper swan on the blackboard.

Goro looked up from the projector and smiled. "Ah, Sawada-kun, I'm glad you joined us today. And who's this?"

Tsuna's tongue suddenly failed him at the moment. "Oh, um…"

Kyoya spoke up, "Nakano Kyoya."

Goro nodded, unfazed. "We were just studying different birds in the current season. Take a seat wherever you'd like."

Tsuna plopped down on the closest seat next to him near the door with Kyoya following suit beside him. He moved his bag onto his lap and hugged it to his chest, leaning forward to get a better look at the blackboard. Honestly, he didn't have much expectations about the science club. It was just something he thought would give him less of a headache.

"Every winter, they return to Lake Kussharo in Hokkaido," Goru said, resuming his mini-lecture. He changed the slide to a picture of the shore with several beautiful whooper swans wading in the snow-covered lake. "The waters closer to the shore are like a thermal spring for them. There's plenty of outdoor hot spring baths at the lake as well. Many people come around and book reservations in nearby hotels and inns."

A girl in the front sighed dreamily. "I want to go there someday." She gasped. "Oh, can we? We can do a fundraiser and everything!"

An older student scoffed, shifting his glasses. "The school's more focused on our crappy baseball team than anything else."

Some girl with curly hair huffed. "Doesn't hurt to try, Ren-kun. Right, Hamasaki-sensei?"

Tsuna mentally sighed as he rested his chin on the table. How long was this supposed to go on for anyways? He nearly jumped when a paper slid onto his desk. Names were written on it and the top had "Kokuyo Middle Science Club" printed. Looking up, he met a familiar face that made him blink and stare a little too long.

The girl had short golden brown hair and golden eyes. Her name was on the tip of his tongue, but Tsuna knew her—Decimo's Sun Guardian's little sister. Honest to God, he didn't understand how the hell Decimo got someone like her roped into the underworld; she was always there whenever Tsuna visited Vongola's mansion, she and that other girl's name he forgot. Some rumors said that Decimo had planned on marrying her, too. What were the chances of meeting her here of all people?

But she looked different, which should be a given at this point. Her eyes weren't bright like he remembered; Tsuna knew those eyes—they were the eyes of a survivor.

"—ear me? Sign your name."

Tsuna blinked a couple of times before realizing that the girl was speaking to him. He shook his head to regain his bearings. "Oh, sorry." He scribbled down his name underneath another student's name. "Kyoya…"

Kyoya just gave him a slight nod. Tsuna didn't know why he felt a little guilty for bringing him here when he practically followed him everywhere. After writing down Kyoya's name, he made sure he wrote "Nakano" instead of "Hibari", and returned the paper and pen to the girl. What the heck was her name again? He was pretty sure it started with a "C" or maybe "K"? "R"…? He was aiming for "Chieko".

"You're not my type."

Tsuna raised a brow. "Excuse me?"

The girl took the pen and paper with a blank face. "You're not my type."

Kyoya tilted his head slightly, his gaze shifting to the girl's face but subtle enough not to draw attention to himself.

Tsuna snorted. "Yeah, you're not mine either. Move along."

The girl blinked but quickly schooled her face. She glanced down at the paper. Interestingly, her hands were wrapped in sports tape like Decimo's Sun Guardian. "Sawada Tsunayoshi."

"Present," Tsuna deadpanned. "Could you move? I can't see the board."

"Kyoko-chan," another girl said, waving her over, "could you help me with this?"

So Tsuna was way off the mark. Kyoko just looked him over for another moment or two before heading off to her friend. By now, Goro was handing out some papers to the other students and shut off the projector. When Tsuna glanced at the clock, he frowned. Not even fifteen minutes passed since he got here.

"She's unpleasant," Kyoya said.

Tsuna stifled a laugh and buried his face in the crook of his arm. Ah, he was probably going senile at this point if he was actually _laughing_ at what Kyoya said. Soon, propping his cheek on his fist, Tsuna quietly watched Goro talk with a few students. Never in his life could he imagine his boss being patient at all. It was just "go or no go" for him.

A moment or two passed until Goro approached him. Smiling, he didn't offer Tsuna the handout he had in his hands. "You look disappointed, Sawada-kun."

Tsuna straightened himself out of habit, even if this Goro wasn't his Goro. "Oh, um, I didn't mean to look that way."

He internally cringed. That sounded worse than he originally intended. To his surprise, Goro just chuckled and pulled up a chair nearby to sit across from him. "Do you mind telling me why you joined the science club?"

Tsuna's hands suddenly felt clammy. He rubbed them against his pants, hoping that they'd just go back to normal.

"You're too close," Kyoya suddenly said, his eyes slightly narrowed.

Goro jumped, which somehow made Tsuna relax. His Goro wouldn't have reacted that way. He'd grab Kyoya by the hair and smash his head against the desk.

"Kyoya, it's fine," Tsuna said. He glanced at some of the students who were focused on the handouts Goro gave them. A few were reading a chemistry textbook. "I don't know. I just…wanted to learn something else other than what I'm learning in class."

The tension disappeared from Goro's shoulders but he still peeked at Kyoya from the corner of his eye in case. That made Tsuna's lips twitch into a small smile.

"Is there anything you're interested in?" Goro said. "Many of the students here have varied interests. While we don't go by the school curriculum—that gives us some leeway—there are topics we can talk about during club hours."

Tsuna licked his lips, trying to find the best words to say, until his tongue worked before he could really think them through. "I want to learn about the body—human body, I mean. My uncle i— _was_ a surgeon and I want to be like him."

It wasn't exactly a lie. His Goro had been more of a father to him than an uncle, but Kyoya was next to him and Tsuna couldn't get rid of the possibility that he and Fon might've dug up some information about him—well, the kid. Invasive, but that was what people like them do and he really had no means to stop them. Just carry on with his act as long as he could.

Goro smiled sympathetically. "I'm sorry for your loss, Sawada-kun. He sounds like a great man."

Tsuna snorted. "He wasn't a saint." Goro's punches could hurt like hell. "But, I guess he was great in what he did." If cutting people open and selling their organs in the black market were great, sure. "I was just hoping to learn stuff like that, you know? Start early or something like that."

Goro chuckled. "It's good you had something in mind. I might have something for you."

He stood up and headed to his desk. Tsuna let out a breath he didn't know he was holding. Rolling his neck, he leaned back on his chair and nearly fell if Kyoya hadn't stuck out his leg to break his fall. Tsuna blushed and sputtered out unintelligible words while Kyoya easily pushed him upright again.

"You're too light," Kyoya said.

"You're welcome would've sufficed," Tsuna muttered under his breath. "Thanks."

"You barely ate your lunch."

"I wasn't that hungry."

"When are you hungry?"

"When I want to be."

"That is not how the body works, little animal. Even I know that much."

"Just…leave it."

Before Kyoya could answer, Goro returned with three worn-out books. Spreading them out on the table, he gestured at each of them while he spoke, "These are the only ones we have right now but I can put in an order later when you finish them. I think these are a decent start." He chuckled. "I majored in philosophy back in university but if there's something you don't understand, I'll learn it with you and do my best."

Tsuna furrowed his brows as he read the titles. It took just a little minute longer than usual to process them: "The History of Medicine", "Everything You Should Know About the Human Body", and "Medical Terminology & Anatomy". The second one was more for kids, but the other two looked a little more extensive. Either way, brushing up on the basics wouldn't hurt and he had already started sewing with Nana.

"This is fine," he said. "Thank you."

Goro nodded. "I'll leave you to it then. All clubs end at 5 so you have time. Let me know if you need anything."

"Okay."

After Goro left, Tsuna opened the second book. Right. He glanced at Kyoya who seemed bored out of his mind in his own broody way. Honestly, the fact that Tsuna could read him at all was a little unsettling. Then again, he was easier to read than Decimo's Cloud Guardian and he had a hell of a time trying to pick up on whatever micro expressions Reborn let through.

"Kyoya." Tsuna almost laughed at how the other perked up when he spoke his name. "Come on, make yourself useful. I saw some of the books in your room. Not all of them were in braille. How sensitive are your fingers?"

Kyoya raised a brow but smiled faintly. "Very."

Tsuna pushed his desk next to Kyoya's and fished out a notebook and pen from his bag. Opening to the first chapter, "Our Bones", Tsuna pushed it towards Kyoya. "Try to read out the bolded words. I'm going to jot them down and define them. I'll read them back to you so you can check them."

Kyoya rested his hand on the first page and delicately swiped his pointer finger across the text. He then paused. "Periosteum."

Tsuna carefully spelled it out on a fresh page. It took a moment for the definition to come to his sluggish mind—at this point, he didn't care _who_ Fon called; he just wanted to get rid of the seal as soon as possible—but he wrote out everything he could anyways.

They continued this until it was time to go.

* * *

When Kyoya and Tsuna arrived at the Hibari Household, they were greeted by the guards and servants like usual.

Accepting his slippers with mumbled thanks, Tsuna put them on and followed Kyoya to his father's room. His slippers rasped lightly in the silence, mingling with Kyoya's steps, which were somehow lighter. When he looked out to the small gardens, the pink camellias were still fresh like yesterday.

Two different guards stood outside Yuji's doors, but let Kyoya enter nonetheless. The familiar, floral aroma of oolong tea was faint in the air, drawing Tsuna's attention to Yuji who held a cup in his hands. The man's silk pajama shirt hung around his broad shoulders, showing off his bandaged stomach, which looked fresh. Although the band-aid on his cheek was a little odd.

At the sound of their arrival, Yuji looked up and smiled briefly at Tsuna before faltering when he noticed Kyoya beside him. Asahi, who knelt by Yuji's bedside, bowed his head to them both.

"I'll be fine," Tsuna said, dismissing Kyoya and walking over to Yuji's futon. He was careful not to trip over the silver tray on the floor that held a tea kettle and a small plate of biscuits. "How are you feeling today, Hibari-san?"

Yuji's shoulders relaxed a bit. He smiled faintly. "I feel better. Thank you, _sensei_. Although you're more than welcome to call me Yuji."

Tsuna heard the doors close behind him, signaling Kyoya's departure. However, that didn't mean he really left. Shrugging off his backpack, Tsuna rested the back of his hand on Yuji's forehead. "At least you have no fever. What happened to your face?"

"He attempted to walk outside earlier, _sensei_ ," Asahi said, his head still bowed, "but could not walk for too long."

Yuji widened his eyes. "Asahi!"

Tsuna quirked a brow. "Your wound is still relatively fresh. Do me a favor—don't force yourself or get involved in stressful situations. I can't guarantee I can stitch you up then."

"I trust you," Yuji said. "You did it the first time."

Tsuna snorted. "Out of sheer luck, yes. Asahi-san, could you tell me what Hibari-san did up until I came now?"

Yuji blinked. "You call him by his name and not me?"

Tsuna shrugged. "We had a moment."

"A moment? What moment?"

Asahi's lips twitched, as if he was resisting the urge to smile. "It is of no concern to you, _oyabun_."

Yuji huffed. "You will tell me later then."

"It is not my place to tell."

"You can go outside but not too far, Hibari-san," Tsuna said. "You'll have to stay in a wheelchair and go through physical therapy to move around again. Asahi-san, his schedule?"

"I can tell you," Yuji said, looking down at his cup.

"The fact that you tried to move around without proper counsel tells me how irresponsible you can be. I believe Asahi-san is more attuned in the responsibility department."

Asahi coughed lightly in his fist while Yuji stammered incoherent words. Finally, he sighed and rubbed his face with a small wince, silently giving in.

"He has rested for the most part, Tsuna-sensei," Asahi said, regaining his composure.

"Ridiculous," Yuji mumbled under his breath.

Tsuna and Asahi ignored him. "He woke up today late morning—11 to be exact—and ate a small breakfast," Asahi continued. "He was prohibited from performing his usual duties by _kumicho_. Lunch was served to him at 3 P.M. He then took a shower under your instructions at 4:30 P.M. Just before you arrived, he attempted to walk in the gardens but could not continue any further without assistance."

"How many steps?" Tsuna said.

Asahi's lips slightly twitched. "Four."

"I counted seven," Yuji said, his brow twitching.

"My apologies, _oyabun_. Seven if you include him tripping."

"Asahi!"

Tsuna couldn't help but smile as the two men bickered. Well, Yuji did most of it; Asahi just took it all with a smile. They were clearly good friends and for some reason, Tsuna was relieved that Yuji had someone to rely on. His smile faltered. He found himself missing Reborn and Colonello arguing with one another, whether it was serious or not.

"—ou alright?"

Yuji's voice jolted Tsuna back to reality. He blinked a couple of times, his vision blurring for a moment. "I'm fine," he said. "I've just been…spacing out a lot today."

"Would you care for some tea?" Yuji said, his brows furrowed.

Tsuna would probably become a mess if he drank oolong tea. Shaking his head, he said, "No, thank you. But, water would be nice."

Asahi stood up before he even finished his sentence. "I'll bring it, Tsuna-sensei."

After Asahi left, Tsuna forced on a smile. "I'm sorry about that. Today hasn't been the best day of my life."

Yuji smiled slightly. "I heard that Kyoya went to your school again but as a student."

"Honestly, it scared the shit out of me."

Yuji laughed before wincing and nearly falling over. Tsuna helped him upright again with pursed lips. "Take it easy, Hibari-san. Laughing can reopen your stitches."

"What?"

"Among other things: straining, lifting, coughing, sneezing."

"Ah." Yuji's hand trembled as he put his cup back on the tray. "That is…quite unfortunate."

Tsuna kept his eyes trained on the bandages for a moment. When no blood seeped through, he finally relaxed.

"Kyoya never attended school before," Yuji said, looking down at his calloused hands.

"I can tell," Tsuna said.

They stayed quiet for a moment. Some birds chirped outside and the leaves rustled with the gentle breeze. Tsuna blinked hard when he caught himself dozing off. That was really strange.

"My wife would not even let him go to kindergarten," Yuji said, chuckling. "She said there was no point. I should've been more assertive then, but I loved her too much. I still do."

If Tsuna could control his flames, he'd at least provide Yuji some comfort, but he didn't. He didn't know if he could or why he thought to do it. Yuji didn't seem like he had flames or belonged here for that matter—neither of them did.

"He's doing fine," Tsuna said. "First days are hard for everyone. He'll get used to it."

Yuji smiled. "I'm glad that he met you. Please, I hope you can become his friend or at least consider it. I know how difficult Kyoya can be, but he has a good heart. He was never able to grow up like most children, and that is something I regret every day. I'm not trying to force you with pity but I know it will mean a lot to him. It will mean a lot to me, too."

Tsuna sighed softly. "I know Kyoya's not a bad person. Honestly, I've been…unfair to him." And to Fon, he mentally added. He smiled slightly. "I'm not a normal kid but neither is Kyoya. I guess, when I get to think about it, we're on the same boat."

Yuji chuckled. "You say very strange things."

"He told me about his mother." Yuji's smile faltered a bit. "I'm sorry for your loss."

"Thank you."

"The fact that Kyoya even told me says a lot, don't you think?" Tsuna smiled crookedly, which Yuji tentatively returned. "We started on the wrong foot, but I'll give it a chance. Can't help it if he actually followed me to school at this point."

Yuji grimaced. "Yes, well, I did tell my brother to reconsider but…"

Tsuna huffed a small laugh. "No doesn't exist here."

Yuji relaxed, smiling. "Yes, it doesn't."

The doors opened then, revealing Asahi carrying a small wooden tray with a water bottle. "Tsuna-sensei, _kumicho_ is asking for you."

"Oh," Tsuna said. "Did he say why?"

Asahi shook his head, looking almost remorseful. "I apologize but I do not know the details. He only said that you wouldn't want to miss it."

Tsuna tensed. "Oh…" He glanced at Yuji who looked concerned on his behalf. "Yeah, I know what he means. I'll—I'll be back, Hibari-san. I still need to go over your recovery details."

Yuji nodded solemnly. "It's alright. Go. My brother isn't fond of lateness. You can leave your bag here."

Great, just what Tsuna needed to hear. He needed several years before he could even adjust to the whirlwind of events occurring right now. He nodded. "Thank you. Don't move."

Yuji huffed. "I know. Asahi, make sure he gets there safely."

Asahi bowed. "Of course, _oyabun_. Come, Tsuna-sensei. Here." He handed Tsuna the water bottle, which he accepted gratefully. " _Kumicho_ is this way."

After bowing towards Yuji in farewell, Tsuna followed Asahi outside while drinking nearly half the water bottle. "Oh, Asahi-san," he said. "I washed your handkerchief. It's in my bag."

"Thank you, Tsuna-sensei," Asahi said. "You didn't have to."

"But I did." Tsuna capped his bottle. He looked around the empty hallways and closed rooms. The gardens were empty other than some birds. It was eerily quiet. "Where's Kyoya?"

"He left to attend to his patrol duties."

Tsuna raised a brow but didn't comment. If Kyoya had free reign to patrol areas, then his position was much higher than Tsuna initially thought. Still, he oddly hoped that Kyoya could have heard what his father had told him.

* * *

They soon arrived at a large tea room. Tatami mats covered the floor and the bright lights cast a warm, bronze glow on the walls and wooden dressers. A long scroll hung at the head of the room, depicting a painting of birds flying above a river. Fon sat alone on a finely-carved table with some tea and a bowl of nuts. A small monkey rested on top of his head, chattering quietly in a way that only Fon would understand. Lichi.

"Hello again," Fon said, smiling faintly. "Please, sit. You may leave, Asahi."

Asahi bowed and left quietly, but not before squeezing Tsuna's shoulder in comfort. It didn't really help but Tsuna appreciated the sentiment. He sat down ungracefully across from Fon, nearly bumping the table with his knee.

"Her name is Lichi," Fon said. "She is my closest companion."

Tsuna couldn't even bring himself to smile. "She's…cute."

Lichi hopped down on the table and tentatively sniffed Tsuna's hand. White tail flicking about, she inched closer until her dry nose lightly brushed Tsuna's thumb.

"You are quite fortunate today, Tsuna," Fon said, making him look up. "I was able to get into contact with my acquaintance this morning and he has expressed high interest in your case." He smiled slightly. "It's not every day we come across sealed flames, and not something as intricate as yours."

"Did he—Did he say when he'd come?"

Fon raised his cup to his lips. "It will depend on how willing he is to push his other priorities to the side for you."

Tsuna pursed his lips. "Your best guess then?"

"Soon."

" _Specifically_?"

Tsuna swore Fon was intentionally trolling him. "A day, perhaps earlier," Fon said. "As I said, he is very interested in your case."

Suppressing a sigh, Tsuna let it go for now. "I hope it's really soon. I haven't felt good after you…did whatever you did yesterday."

Fon tilted his head. "How so?"

Tsuna stiffened when something small poked his hand. Looking down, he saw Lichi offering him a nut with wide, curious eyes. "Oh, um, thank you."

Lichi chittered happily, placing the nut in his palm, and scampered off to her spot on top of Fon's head.

Fon chuckled. "Lichi's quite shy but she seems to like you already."

Well, at least this Lichi wasn't different from his Fon's, who'd always make sure Tsuna was eating whenever her companion wasn't around. His heart ached when he remembered his own animal partner, Shiki. The ferret always had a special place in his heart with his mischievous but lovable ways. Shiki was amusingly the jealous type, always biting whoever got too close to Tsuna (or just for the hell of it). Amusingly, the ferret was fond of Skull more than the others.

"—ear me?"

Tsuna blinked when Fon's voice cracked through his reverie. "I'm sorry?" He jumped when he realized Fon stood in front of him, almost falling over. "W—What are you doing?"

"I was wondering if you heard me," Fon said. "You're not intentionally ignoring me, are you?"

Tsuna didn't know if that was a joke or not but he was settling on the former for his own sanity. "No, I just…spaced out. It's been happening more than usual ever since yesterday when you did your thing."

Fon raised a brow. "Oh?"

Tsuna sighed. Was that all Fon was going to say? "I don't know, I've just been clumsier than usual. I can't really think without drawing blanks."

Fon hummed lightly. "Well, that is peculiar. Perhaps I shouldn't have done what I did yesterday."

Tsuna was _this_ close to throttling him. "Thank you for the reassurance."

Fon smiled faintly. "If anything, I can call my c—" Suddenly, his red pacifier started to glow, making Tsuna flinch. "Ah, perhaps not."

Tsuna's breath hitched. One of them—he was going to meet another one of them, but who? Was it Verde? He would be the most logical in this case if he was a scientist in this world, too. Maybe Viper? But only if he was formidable and entrenched in the old ways of the mafia his Viper. Too many possibilities, too many anomalies—who was it?

"—dn't expect for him to come this soon," Fon said, his voice distant. "But given your special circumstances, it isn't all that surprising."

Something was wrong. Tsuna's lungs weren't getting any air. Panic attack? No—it was too hot. His flames were practically screaming to be released; his veins felt like they were about to burst. A dull pain flared in his side but all he cared about was breathing. His eyes burned with tears. Fuck, why couldn't he do anything?

He then noticed that the world was suddenly sideways. He must've fallen. When he blinked, something black and red replaced his vision. A glowing pacifier. Fon…

"Tsuna, can you hear me?"

Fon's voice was too far away. No, come back, Tsuna thought deliriously. Don't go.

"Fon," he whispered, his mouth feeling dry. "Fon."

"Yes, it's me. Tsuna, can you hear me?"

"I can't—I can't breathe…"

Fon hushed him gently. "Don't speak. Save your breath."

Tsuna wanted to laugh but he couldn't. His mind was empty; it was like he was being frozen alive, like what had happened to Xanxus after the Cradle Affair. Everything felt hot and cold all at once.

"He will be here soon," Fon said. "He'll help you."

"No," Tsuna gasped out. Red and black meshed chaotically in his vision. "No, don't go. Fon, don't leave me. Don't go."

"I'm right here, Tsuna."

"Don't go…"

 _You'll die_ , he thought wildly. _You're going to die_.

Tsuna's eyes fluttered as he struggled to stay conscious. He couldn't move. Why couldn't he move? His flames were screaming: _Let me out! I'm dying!_

A mesh of distant noises soon sounded through the stifling air.

"—una-sensei!"

Asahi…?

"—ell over suddenly." Fon.

Something flashed in his eyes but Tsuna couldn't react. His heart was beating too fast. His head pounded and his lungs were failing to intake air. Why couldn't he just fucking _move_? None of his limbs responded to his command, which only made him panic even more. Still, nothing.

"—upils are dilated," a raspy, deep voice said.

Tsuna knew that voice but he couldn't place the name or face. Fon—where was Fon? Closing his eyes, Tsuna sagged against the floor, exhausted. He felt detached from his own body.

"Stay with me," the same man said.

"Move."

Tsuna inhaled sharply. He knew that voice. He never thought he could get over it ever since he heard it the first time. A warm sensation suddenly flooded his body, spreading from his head all the way down to his toes. The burn in his veins cooled down and air soon filled his lungs again.

 _You came back_ , Tsuna thought, drifting. _Reborn…_

* * *

 **A/N :^)**

 **I've been getting this a lot so I'll clarify: this story is not related to** _ **Komorebi**_ **. Tsuna here used to be an underground doctor while the Tsuna in the other story is a genius trauma surgeon (with a license), haha. I'm sorry for the confusion!**

 **Thank you so much for your reviews, favorites, and follows! They all make my day and are pretty good motivators. ;^)**

 **Thank you for reading! I hope to see you again in the next chapter.**

 **Have a lovely day~**

 **Little Miss Bunny**


	7. The Sun Arcobaleno

" _The sun shines even on the wicked."_ – Seneca the Younger

* * *

Time never had a place in dreams.

Not knowing how long he was out made Tsuna even more apprehensive. He didn't know how many hours he walked in the murky darkness but his legs just continued moving of their own accord. Misty wisps of shadows lightly brushed against his ankles as if he was wading through endless fogs. They were neither cold nor hot, just there.

Feeling disembodied wasn't something to laugh at—it was terrifying. Tsuna had already given up on diagnosing himself. It could be a myriad of things and none of them at the same time. He just hoped that he wasn't stuck here forever.

A shiver ran down his spine. Tsuna surveyed the vast expanse around him again but only saw black. Was this how Kyoya felt? he thought, picking up his pace.

His breath hitched when he heard a soft sigh against his ear. It sounded too human to be air, or was his mind playing tricks on him? That was on so many levels of fucked up Tsuna didn't even know anymore.

"Well, this is strange," a smooth voice said. It was a man.

Tsuna paused in his step and looked around wildly, but didn't see anyone or anything. Why couldn't he see anyone?

"Who are you?" he said. "I know you're here!"

A soft hum resonated around him. "You're not him."

Tsuna clicked his tongue. "I'm not repeating myself, bastard."

He yelped when a strong gust of wind suddenly raged everywhere. Gritting his teeth, Tsuna covered his face with his arms and braced himself against the abrupt gale. His feet edged further and further back until the wind suddenly stopped. His breaths broke through the eerie silence, his chest heaving as he tried to get oxygen to his lungs.

Footsteps then sounded in the distance, echoing in the empty void. Tsuna tried pinpointing them but ended up looking around in hopeless circles. He hated this. He just wanted to wake up.

"Who are you?" the voice said, sounding from Tsuna's right.

Narrowing his eyes, Tsuna turned before he froze. A tall man with spiky blond hair and blue eyes melted seamlessly from the shadows, his whole frame rippling. He wore a black suit and a long cloak with an elaborate gold chain. Anyone in the underworld would've recognized him: Vongola Primo.

However he didn't seem like the Primo Tsuna had heard about. There was a steely edge to his handsome face that made Tsuna step back.

"Primo," Tsuna said.

The man stopped until he was only a little more than a feet away, too close for Tsuna's liking. "You know who I am."

"I do."

Primo tilted his head. "Shouldn't it be common courtesy to tell me who you are then?"

There was no point in lying, not when Primo had the Hyper Intuition he was renowned for. Besides, the guy was dead. Who would he tell? Tsuna also wanted answers. "Tsunayoshi," he said.

Primo smiled faintly. "Clever, but—"

"Harada Tsunayoshi." It had been Goro's surname that Tsuna took as his own. "I don't like being interrupted."

Primo chuckled. "I apologize."

Tsuna pursed his lips. "Now that you know, what will you do?"

"Do? There is nothing I can do."

"Then tell me—what are you doing here?"

Primo's lips slightly twitched. "I believe we both have questions we want answered."

Tsuna maintained a lax composure despite being ticked off. He hated people like Primo. Polite on the surface as a guise to hide what lied underneath. At least his Fon was blunt with some tact to be able to survive on his own. It was why Tsuna appreciated Viper's greed with money. It was brutally honest and to the point.

"Answer mine," Tsuna said. "I answered yours first."

Primo smiled. "I guess that's fair. I'm here because I was called."

"Called?"

"It's my turn now."

Tsuna pursed his lips. "Fine. Do your worst."

Primo chuckled. "You're an interesting one. Much different from the Tsunayoshi I knew."

Tsuna furrowed his brows. If Primo knew the kid, had he been around for that long? His Decimo never mentioned coming into contact with the founder before receiving the Vongola Rings and going through successions to attain his inheritance from the past bosses. For some reason, in this empty space, Tsuna could think much more clearly than when he was conscious.

"You look like him," Primo said, "but I know you are not him. Why?"

"Long story short," Tsuna said. "I'm not from this world. I died in mine and was granted a second chance. Here I am. My turn: what called you here?"

Primo didn't seem fazed at his curt story. "I see. How unfortunate. Tsunayoshi was a sweet child, naïve but sweet." Despite his words, there was no grief.

"You watched over him," Tsuna said, narrowing his eyes, "but not long."

Primo tilted his head though his lips curled into a small smile. "What gives you that assumption?"

"I don't have your Hyper Intuition but that doesn't make me stupid. You said you're here because you were called. I never met you until now, when you should've appeared after I took over the kid." Tsuna stepped forward, raising his chin to meet Primo's gaze. His eyes were a clear blue, vivid and bright like a cloudless sky. "I'm here because something went wrong with the seal. You're here because of that too, aren't you?"

Chuckling, Primo shook his head. "You're quite bright. Tell me, how old are you?"

"It's rude to ask someone their age. I'm not asking you, am I?"

Primo laughed, his eyes somehow a little more alive than before. "You're right. I apologize." He gestured behind him, still chuckling. "Please, follow me."

"You're not going to incinerate me or something, are you?"

Primo raised a brow, but his smile remained in place. "I cannot hurt you." He turned then and walked back to the breadth of darkness he appeared from. "And I would do much more than that."

Tsuna winced. He seriously hoped Primo was joking, but he got the feeling that he wasn't.

* * *

He didn't know how long he had wandered alone. With no indication of how much time had passed, Tsuna was left in the dark—figuratively and literally.

Walking with Primo wasn't any different. Neither of them spoke but Tsuna kept himself alert. Now that he could think lucidly, he took some time to organize his thoughts. Whatever he'd say would be evaluated by Primo's Hyper Intuition—it had been freaky when Decimo utilized it and always will be; although he should've listened to it before he met Byakuran, the fucking dumbass—and no little amount of truth or lie could get past it.

What Tsuna was more worried about was Primo's extent of power here. True, Primo might not be able to hurt him but Tsuna didn't know that and he wasn't willing to find out. He was defenseless yet again with nothing to fight with. Reborn's whole lecture on will and whatnot could just jump out the window.

Reborn…

Tsuna heard him—he was sure of it. No one else had that (unfortunate) baby voice, but this world liked proving him wrong so far. Colonello and Skull had laughed like hell until Reborn emphasized why he was the world's strongest hitman a hundred times over and went off to brood away from the others. It took many espresso bribes and cuddles to coax him out of his shell. Surprisingly, Reborn was very physical so he could stroke his own ego and annoy the others. Tsuna thought of it as more of a self-assurance thing but Reborn smacked him the first (and last) time he mentioned it.

Suddenly, the air shifted. Tsuna tensed. He tried finding the source but only saw Primo's back in front of him. His cape oddly stood out in the darkness.

"This called me here," Primo said, stepping aside for Tsuna to get a better look.

Tsuna inhaled sharply when he came face-to-face with an intricate, gold, hexagonal box rotating slowly in mid-air. Some parts were broken, and the inscribed, fragmented runes were gibberish to him. Inside was a flickering, orange flame. It was small, too small. Tsuna had the uneasy thought that he'd be able to crush it easily with one hand.

Primo stepped forward and raised a hand above the mysterious object. Hushing gently, he reached inside to touch the flame. A cold sensation rippled through Tsuna's body. He gasped, clutching his chest, as Primo seemed to pet the docile flame.

"S—Stop it," Tsuna said, stumbling backwards.

Primo didn't turn to face him. "The little one called out to me, didn't you, Tsunayoshi?"

The flame slowly grew and engulfed Primo's hand as if it were hugging it, like a small child latching onto his mother. Cold sweat broke out on Tsuna's skin. His breaths reverberated in the emptiness around him, too loud in his buzzing ears. He fell onto his knees. "Stop it…"

Primo finally removed his hand. The flame followed him until it reached the edge. Immediately, it let go and withdrew in its refines like it had no choice. "He's had it hard," Primo said.

The icy feeling disappeared from Tsuna's body but he couldn't bring himself to stand. Primo stepped in front of him, making him feel small like the flame.

"I'm here because Tsunayoshi called me," Primo said, his voice soft, "whether he knew it or not." He glanced at the flame. "He still remains, or at least, a part of him." He turned back to Tsuna, his gaze unsympathetic. "My bloodline runs through him since he's my descendant, but the moment his flames were sealed, I lost contact. Some part of me awoke again, which may have been because of you."

Tsuna could only stare as Primo strode closer, casting a long shadow over him. "Are you going to kill me?" Tsuna said.

Primo chuckled. "No. Besides, I do not have complete control of myself." He raised his hand and regarded his fingers with quiet fascination. Tsuna noticed then that they were transparent. "Not until the seal is broken. But desperate times call for desperate measures as they say. I'm here because of Tsunayoshi." He smiled in jest. "I'm not fond of killing in front of children either."

Tsuna's stomach clenched at those words. "Fon," he said. "Yesterday Fon tried to learn about the seal."

Primo raised a brow. "Was he the big, scary red fire?"

Tsuna frowned. "If you mean Storm Flames, yeah."

"Tsunayoshi's words, not mine." Primo paced back to the floating seal. Tsuna flinched, thinking he'd touch the flame again. Instead the man just stood there, gazing inside with pitiful eyes. "When his flames were sealed, he was only a child. Our flames are an extension of us. Sealing them is barbaric. We cannot live without the other."

"I became worse after what Fon did," Tsuna said.

Primo nodded. "As expected. While you unknowingly helped cracking some of the seal, this is not your body therefore—"

Tsuna felt hollow when the words escaped him, "They're not mine."

"Yes. These flames belong to Tsunayoshi but since he's gone, the little one is confused and rightfully afraid. You're a stranger, no matter how you much look like him. People have the notion that our souls can be uprooted easily and go elsewhere, but our spiritual and physical entities are one." Primo looked at Tsuna with unreadable eyes, the flame casting a soft, orange glow on his face. "You don't belong here, Harada Tsunayoshi."

Tsuna's breath hitched. His hands curled into fists on his lap, wrinkling his black pants. "Then—Then why am I here?"

He tensed when he felt something rest on his head. Looking up, he saw that it was Primo's hand. "Tsunayoshi may see you as a stranger," Primo said, "but he told me of your grief. He is sad for you."

Tsuna laughed. "How can he understand what I've been through?" His eyes burned but he refused to cry. "How can—how can he possibly understand?"

"He doesn't," Primo said. "But he knows. He says that if he could, he would hug you like his mother did whenever he was sad." He smiled. "As I said, Tsunayoshi is a sweet child. He has a good heart, better than most for one so young."

"What am I supposed to do?" Tsuna said. His cheeks felt wet and he felt like a child himself, crying in front of Vongola's founder. "I thought I could bear it. I willingly gave up my life to save the people I loved, but I was an idiot to think I could see them again. They're not the same here. And now you're here telling me that I don't belong. Yeah, I don't fucking belong here but I—I just wanted another chance…"

A prickling sensation tingled in Tsuna's chest but he ignored it. Primo then crouched to his level. He gently wiped away his tears, his hand feeling cold against Tsuna's skin. Closer, Primo looked translucent. "You are here for a reason," he said. "And there's nothing I can do to send you back. However, even if you manage to break the seal, you will die anyway. You cannot hold Tsunayoshi's flames, unless you make them yours."

Tsuna widened his eyes. "How?"

Primo glanced at the seal. "Our flames are created from how strong our resolve is. Tsunayoshi here is young, a child. What could he possibly ask for now? Most of him has gone already." He faced Tsuna again, his eyes solemn. "I cannot guarantee anything, Harada Tsunayoshi. It is up to him. A prisoner can only ask for so much from his jailor."

Tsuna let out a shaky breath. This was fucking nuts and he was hating himself more the longer he thought about it. Finally, he forced himself to stand. His legs felt weak as he walked over to the seal. He could feel Primo's eyes on his back but ignored him. He needed to focus.

"Hey, kid," Tsuna said. "Or Tsunayoshi if you prefer that. I also have the same name if you didn't know already." He laughed a little. "This is really fuc—um, weird." The orange flame crept to the shattered parts of the seal but didn't move any further. It was strange, as if it was actually listening to him. He never thought about it this way, honestly. His own flames had responded to him so well, he didn't think twice. "I'm—I'm so sorry. I didn't think about what would happen and all of this—all of this happened because of me."

A moment of silence hung between them. Tsuna's ears rang as he tried to keep himself calm. He stepped forward but stopped before he could get any closer. "I have no right to be here," he said. "I shouldn't have come. I should've stayed dead. But there's a part of me that wants to be here." He huffed a bitter laugh, the prickling in his heart spreading across his torso. He didn't know if it was the pain or something else but it didn't hurt. "I took everything from you, kid. But here I am, trying to make my case. I shouldn't ask anything from you, but I'm a bad man, you know? If you saw the things I've done, you wouldn't even come near me. I guess the stranger danger applies with me, too."

"He wants you to come closer," Primo said, making Tsuna tense.

Taking a deep breath, Tsuna strode forward. His heart thumped loud and hard against his chest. His skin tingled from the flame's warmth. Ah, so this was what Kyoya meant, he thought. His fingers trembled when he raised his hand and slowly reached inside the seal. The flame suddenly flared, growing bigger and brighter. It immediately latched onto Tsuna's hand and the tingling in his chest spread across his whole body—he felt impossibly warm.

Memories surged in his head but they weren't his: a small child hugging his mother—Nana, Tsuna mentally supplied—, their smiles bright and at ease; the same boy running through the streets, laughing as he maneuvered around amused pedestrians; the boy walking alongside a stream when suddenly Tsuna felt water fill his lungs and screams echoing above him.

He inhaled sharply as the cold, dark waters vanished around him and the warmth returned. Panting, he widened his eyes when the flame never let go. "That's when they knew," Tsuna said. The flame flickered, affirming his theory. "They still shouldn't have done that."

Soon, his own memories flooded his mind: meeting Goro in the streets; watching the family he had shot to the ground by the police and being shoved in a crate heading to Italy; scavenging through dumpsters before Luce found him. Tsuna smiled sadly when he saw the first Arcobaleno gathering, the times they had that slowly but surely solidified their bond. He never regretted harmonizing with them, not even when the curse took place.

"They were everything," he said, his voice distant. "They _are_ everything to me."

A small spark drew his attention back to the flame. He gasped when his own body started to glow a light orange, almost white. Thin streams of light soon breached the darkness above as the shadows dissolved around him. He looked down to see Primo smile faintly at him, the light almost blinding the man's face.

"This is his answer," he said, his voice growing farther away. Tsuna widened his eyes when he realized that he was floating. "I look forward to seeing what you do now, Harada Tsunayoshi."

Then everything erupted into a blinding flash of orange lights.

* * *

Tsuna heaved a large gasp as he bolted upright. His skin was damp from sweat and his throat felt dry. An IV line extended from the back of his hand to a machine near his bed. It took a moment for him to realize that he woke up from whatever acid trip he went through. He tensed when a cup of water appeared under his nose.

"Drink," a squeaky voice said.

Tsuna froze. Slowly, he turned to finally face the familiar baby—Reborn. Gone were his expensive suit and trademark fedora. Instead he wore a light gray button-up shirt underneath a white coat and black slacks. His spiky black hair was the same, so were his curly sideburns. His yellow pacifier was still there, hanging around his tiny neck.

Unable to help himself, Tsuna laughed. He buried his face in his hands, the bandages around his palms rough against his cheeks. He just laughed until his sides hurt, until every part of him ached. Soon his eyes burned and his hands became wet.

He didn't deserve this.

"Why am I like this?" Tsuna said, his voice muffled by his hands. "Why?"

"Your body is unable to sustain your flames," Reborn said. "Or the part that leaked through anyways."

 _Because they're not mine,_ Tsuna thought bleakly.

"However it's been showing signs of cooperating. Your BP and heartrate returned to normal and there has been no more abnormalities then. The seal's just complicating things further. You might be stabilized for now but I don't know when you'll hit another relapse again."

Tsuna finally accepted the cup and downed the water. Looking down, he noticed that he was still in his uniform minus his jacket and shoes. The room he was in wasn't large but comfortable enough. The window drapes were drawn and an IV machine stood by his bed. Hopping onto the dresser, Reborn picked up a tiny clipboard.

"How long was I out?" Tsuna said.

"Three and a half hours," Reborn said. "It's currently 8:38 P.M."

Tsuna groaned. "Shit, my mom."

"Fon took care of it."

Tsuna pursed his lips. "That's not very reassuring."

Reborn looked up from his clipboard. "You fainted from TIA. It's—"

"Transient ischemic attack," Tsuna said, massaging the bridge of his nose. "Mini-stroke. I know it."

That explained the headaches, loss of balance, blurry vision, and confusion he suffered all day.

Reborn raised a brow. "Yes. Are you feeling dizzy?"

"No, just tired."

Reborn scribbled something on his clipboard. "Do you have a history of strokes in your family?"

"No."

"High blood pressure?"

"No."

"Diabetes?"

"No."

"Smoking?"

"No."

Reborn clicked his pen and put the clipboard to the side. "I was able to resolve the blockage in your carotid artery and dissolve the clots. I also reversed the damaged brain tissues to their original state. You're cleared for now but I can't guarantee that it won't happen again. Strokes can still affect people your age and you're in a precarious condition at the moment."

Tsuna furrowed his brows. His Reborn may have healed some wounds but he never went the extra mile to do something as extensive as _preventing a stroke_ (a mini-stroke but Tsuna digressed). Tsuna had always wanted to know the extent of Reborn's healing capabilities but the hitman never liked sharing. The fact that his Arcobaleno were basically the opposite of normal Flame conventions and stereotypes wasn't helping either.

"How?" Tsuna said, shifting his gaze to Reborn. "How did you do that?"

Reborn pursed his lips. "Did Fon not tell you of my capabilities?"

Tsuna snorted. "Besides 'look, this is a Storm Flame' and 'oh, my friend's good at what he does', no. Worst briefings ever if you ask me."

Reborn smiled slightly. "I see."

He hopped down on the chair beside Tsuna's bed. A small yellow flame ignited above his hand. The yellow was pale and the whitish core was nearly blinding. The flame flickered constantly, spiking and flowing here and there. A faint trail of Harmonization encased it, which shouldn't be surprising, but it still hurt anyways.

"This is a Sun Flame," Reborn said. "Its special ability is Activation, meaning that it can stimulate and improve the efficiency of any activity, including the workings of the human body. With this, I was able to incite the clots to disappear from your carotid artery and heal your damaged brain tissues by inducing the cells to revive."

Tsuna hummed to himself. "Sounds great for stem cell research."

Extinguishing his flame, Reborn sat down at the edge of the chair and crossed his legs. "There are six other flames, each named after a sky phenomenon. As you've seen with Fon, he has the Storm Flames, which carry the Disintegration ability. The name is self-explanatory. The other five are Rain, Lightning, Cloud, Mist, and Sky. The Rain Flame has the ability of Tranquility that can weaken and slow down its targets. Lightning has an aptitude for Hardening, solidifying objects and projecting barriers. Cloud has Propagation that can help it increase and expand. Mist specializes in Construction, which can create illusions. Finally, the Sky Flame is—"

"Orange," Tsuna said. Even though he knew all of that already and that more existed, Reborn's steady voice was welcoming, even if it was too lax. "They're orange."

Reborn didn't smack Tsuna's head like his Reborn did for being interrupted. He just sat there, patiently waiting for Tsuna to continue. It both unnerved and relieved Tsuna at the same time.

"I saw them," he said, "and the seal." He ran a hand through his hair and sighed. "While I was out, I saw them."

The small orange flame, purer than any flame Tsuna had ever seen, brimming with fear like a small child cowering in his cage, flashed in his mind. He sucked in a deep breath. He was fucking terrible, wasn't he? For taking Tsunayoshi's life, for pleading to the kid to let him live on as if nothing happened. It was worse than any botched surgery he was involved in. He had taken the life of an innocent boy without warning, without as much as a hello or goodbye.

"Primo came," Tsuna said. "He told me his name was Primo." He looked up at Reborn, who looked surprisingly sympathetic. "Why? Why me?"

Reborn didn't understand the other implications in that question and Tsuna resolved to keep it that way. "Fon informed me that your full name is Sawada Tsunayoshi," Reborn said. "You're aware of Fon's position here, correct?" Tsuna nodded. "You have the right to refuse or listen to the information we have on you, but I'm sure you have some gist if Primo approached you."

Tsuna didn't want to be reminded again but still said, "I'll listen. Knowing is better than being surprised later." He wrinkled his nose. "I hate surprises."

Reborn smiled slightly. "I agree with that sentiment." Tsuna blinked but Reborn continued, "Your father, Sawada Iemitsu, is involved in the Italian mafia. He is the leader of CEDEF, short for _Consulenza Esterna Della Famiglia_ , which is an intelligence organization of the Vongola Famiglia. The reason you may have saw Primo is because you are his descendant as is your father. This automatically puts you in line for the Vongola inheritance. However, the current don, Nono, has two sons who are up for the position. Seeing that you're here instead of Italy means that your father didn't want to raise you in that life."

"Sawada Iemitsu." The name felt alien on his tongue no matter how many times Tsuna had said it. "The least he could do was change our names. That doesn't exactly explain why he or whoever it was sealed my flames though. I don't see any justification for it, even if it seems logical."

Reborn looked solemn. "Yes. Sealing flames is cruel but not forbidden. Our flames are commonly known as Dying Will Flames. While everyone has the potential to access them, they can only be activated if the person has a powerful will or resolve. Think of them as an extension of our soul. By sealing them, you're effectively cutting off a vital part of yourself. You have felt it, haven't you?"

Tsuna shifted, wrinkling the gray sheets with his fists. "I—I was clumsy. My balance was all over the place and I couldn't think clearly. It only got worse after Fon did what he did yesterday." He forced on a smile. "I was five when—when it happened."

The lies that spilled from his lips felt like barbed wires digging in his heart. No matter how much he bled, he deserved it.

Reborn nodded. "Fon shouldn't have touched it, even if he wasn't aware about seals in the first place." He sighed. "Then again, he's never patient to begin with. I've only encountered two people with sealed flames in my life. However, in their cases, their flames were sealed when they were adults, not when they were children. So forgive me if I say your circumstances are intriguing."

Tsuna licked his chapped lips. His Reborn never apologized or asked for forgiveness—at least, not out loud. Shaking his head, Tsuna returned to the conversation at hand. He had only heard about flame seals but never encountered anyone with them. His Decimo and the other Iemitsu were civilians until Nono had found them by pure chance, and Tsuna kind of regretted not knowing the Vongola boss more. "What happened to them?" he said.

"The first patient was a 53-year-old male," Reborn said. "He was in good health with no abnormalities in his family history. However, due to long exposure to his flames, sealing them off so suddenly sent his body into catatonic shock and he fell into a coma. His body quickly deteriorated and my flames could only do so much for a period of time. He died three months later. His son made the decision to pull the plug."

Tsuna pursed his lips. "And the other patient?"

Something flashed in Reborn's eyes but he schooled his expression too quickly for Tsuna to discern it. "The second patient was a 21-year-old male. He had the same stats as the first patient but with a history of heart attacks on his father's side. He didn't have as much exposure to his flames since they appeared after he joined the army; however, he did exhibit a severe lack of emotional response. Currently, I don't know how he is. We lost contact."

Tsuna was tempted to ask more but he knew a delicate topic when he sensed one. Sighing, he scratched the back of his head. "Who even created these seals anyways? It's fucking brutal."

Reborn's lips slightly twitched. "Yes, they are. No one knows where exactly they came from but currently only two mafia families know how to use them: the Vongola and the Giglio Nero. This puts them at a greater advantage on top of the food chain, but doesn't justify their uses. From what I've seen, it's worse than death."

Tsuna agreed. He'd been there and it was infinitely better than having his flames sealed. He swallowed a lump in his throat. How would the kid have felt?

"Is there a way to get rid of it?" he said.

Reborn crossed his arms over his chest. "It's possible but because it's never been done before, I can't guarantee that you'll be in one piece after, both figuratively and literally." Tsuna winced. That _wasn't_ a pretty image. "Since you've been separated from your flames for so long—9 years, if I'm not mistaken from what you told me—your body will become overwhelmed even if the seal does break. Currently, it's also keeping you alive. You could experience another TIA or worse. There are too many repercussions to consider."

Was this what Primo meant? Tsuna thought. Because being incinerated alive sounded better than becoming braindead or being stuck in a coma for how long. Iemitsu was just digging himself a deeper grave every second.

"But you've considered them," Tsuna said. "You're a doctor. You must've come up with some options."

"Options, yes," Reborn said. "But they're only theories at best."

"Better than nothing. Hit me."

Reborn smiled in clear amusement. "Revisiting the flames' attributes, I've compiled different methods in breaking the seal. Since it's only partial that makes it easier but it seems to have happened recently, which may work in our favor. Have you experienced any extreme situations or stress lately?"

Tsuna tried hard not to flinch. "I—I helped Hibari-san if that counts. He was stabbed and I kind of helped him."

"I see," Reborn said. He raised a brow. "I looked him over while you were unconscious. Your sutures are decent and doesn't indicate you were stressed, although they were a little messy."

Tsuna shrugged. "I work better under pressure."

"Where did you learn how to suture?"

"YouTube."

Reborn chuckled. "I don't think most people your age would be able to cut open a man and stitch his femoral artery from just watching YouTube."

"I also read a lot. I'm glad to hear all of this but can we get back to fixing me?"

Reborn nodded. "I apologize." That was weird to hear and probably always would be. "You just confirmed something for me. The seal can be broken under extremely stressful or dangerous situations. If anything, that will not be an option unless we're left with nothing. Even then, I don't recommend it."

"I'm keeping that on the back-burner if worse comes to shove," Tsuna said.

Reborn raised a brow. "You will willingly throw your life on the line for this?"

"My life, my body, my say. What are the options?"

Reborn easily picked up where he left off. "Since we have Fon with his Storm Flames and me with my Sun Flames, we've mostly covered our bases. You're fortunate since we're the most powerful in our respective fields, flame-wise. The problems lie on the alternative methods. Japan does not have many flame-users since they're exclusive to the mafia with few exceptions. It's easy for us to say we can destroy the seal and heal the damages, but your case is too delicate. I can't predict how your flames will react to re-connecting with you."

Tsuna looked down at his hands, taking note of his blankets' bird embroidery. Primo had told him that the kid gave him his answer but all he saw was an impressive light show. He shook his head. Come on, he wasn't an idiot. The kid showed Tsuna both of their memories for a reason. When Primo had touched the kid's flame, Tsuna felt like he turned to ice. But then the kid had reached out to him, he felt warm like with his own flames.

His breath hitched. Fuck. No, Tsuna didn't _deserve_ this.

"What are the alternative methods?" he said, his voice strained.

Reborn hopped over to land on his lap and looked up, his eyes serious. "Are you feeling alright?"

Tsuna's fists tightened until his knuckles turned white and his palms stung. "I'm fine. Just tell me the other methods."

Reborn frowned but didn't move away. "Stop me if you're not feeling well. Fon can break the seal while I heal your body. That much is a given. Shamal, my assistant, is a Mist-Flame user. He can try to fool your flames long enough so your body can adjust. However, he isn't very skilled so this option isn't the best. I could try contacting one of my colleagues but I can't guarantee he'll arrive as soon as you want."

Tsuna grimaced. "Pass."

"Your flames most likely accumulated over the years from stress and self-preservation. Since the seal's partially destroyed, some of them managed to leak out. Fon only made it worse. I think they were trying to adjust to your body then until he intervened and threw them in a panic. It's worse when they're also Sky Flames. Their ability, Harmonization, allows them to reach a greater sense of balance with the other flames, petrifies, and is the closest to being real fire. They're exceptionally rare as well. Since your flames are un-Harmonized, they're sensitive and won't take to other flames very kindly."

Reborn crossed his arms over his chest again. "In this case, Fon will break the seal little by little. I will heal any damages your body sustains but this method will work better if we have a Rain-Flame user to weaken your flames long enough for you to adjust. Even then, I can't guarantee they will react well."

Tsuna resisted the urge to fall back on his pillow. Instead, he propped his forehead on his hand and looked down at Reborn blankly. "Great. Again, pass."

"The ideal option is storing your flames, cleansing them, and returning them to you."

Tsuna furrowed his brows. "Like an autotransfusion?"

The idea didn't sound bad. Autotransfusion was basically recycling a patient's blood during surgery through a machine called a cell saver, which purifies it and separates the red blood cells, before returning it to the patient. However, flames weren't blood. The possibility of achieving that was almost impossible unless someone invented a machine that could function the same way as a cell saver but for flames instead. Tsuna bit his lip. Verde could do it…

Reborn nodded. "Yes. But in this case, it will be flames instead of blood. A colleague of mine is currently studying third-party intervention in purifying flames. I can ask him to create a machine that is similar to a cell saver. I don't doubt that he can build it quickly given that he has the right motivation for it, but time withstanding, we'll need a Cloud-Flame user to absorb your flames organically and safely transport them."

The gears in Tsuna's mind kicked in. The theories were fascinating, stuff he wondered about endlessly with Verde himself. Actually, Verde _had_ created something similar to what Reborn was saying but it wasn't refined and could only function with a harmonized group, meaning no third-party flames could effectively purify one compared to those that were initially harmonized.

"However, this is only ideal," Reborn said, snapping Tsuna out of his thoughts.

"I agree," a voice said.

Tensing, Tsuna turned to face the door. Fon closed it before hopping over and landing on Reborn's chair with a slight smile. "I'm glad to see you awake, Tsuna," he said. "You had us all worried. How are you feeling?"

"Other than the fact that I'm slowly dying, I feel fantastic," Tsuna said.

Fon chuckled. "I'm glad to hear you're back to your normal self. Rest assured, Reborn will be able to help you. He's not considered the world's greatest surgeon for nothing—well, among us anyways."

"You were supposed to wait for me," Reborn said.

Fon smiled. "That is simply the wrong thing to ask of me, my friend." He then frowned. "But I'm going to disagree with what you just said. I'm not inclined to opening my abode to that fiend."

Tsuna blinked. Who was Fon talking about? To have him call someone a monster warranted some curiosity on Tsuna's part.

Reborn pursed his lips. "He's the only option left in this case. I'm not fond of him either but your nephew isn't skilled enough to carry out what I have in mind."

Fon smiled thinly, sending shivers down Tsuna's spine. "Kyoya will always be the better alternative to him."

"I'm sorry," Tsuna said, drawing their attention, "but who are we talking about?"

"I'd rather not have his name be spoken here," Fon said. "It will only bring misfortune. Either way, he is forbidden to come here. Remember your place, Reborn."

"It was only an ideal scenario," Reborn said, unfazed. "There are other options."

"Good."

Tsuna ignored them in favor of saving what sanity he had left to think through his decisions. The biggest risk factor here was whether or not his flames—the _kid's_ flames—would integrate with his body and accept him. Sighing, he pinched the bridge of his nose.

He knew the answer.

"Reborn-sensei," Tsuna said, the name feeling bizarre on his tongue, "I know what I want."

The two Arcobaleno paused their conversation to look at him.

"I don't think we'll have much of a problem with the flames adjusting to me," Tsuna said. "At least, in my opinion."

Reborn raised a brow. "What makes you say that?"

Tsuna chuckled flatly. "Just a gut feeling."

" _I look forward to seeing what you do now, Harada Tsunayoshi."_

He didn't deserve it though. The kid let him off easy, but he wasn't going to waste it. He was going to live, for both him and the kid.

"All I need is you two," Tsuna said, "to break the seal."

* * *

 **A/N My heart literally hurt while I was writing this chapter…**

 **Some bigshots are in the house: there's Reborn, oh and Giotto, ahaha.**

 **So, there was a lot of information in this chapter. I'm trying to incorporate the flames more and give them more depth. I may or may not be utilizing them right, but I'm trying to give them that mystical/scientific edge, haha. If there's something that doesn't make sense, let me know! I'll try to explain it in better terms.**

 **I'm glad that you peeps enjoy Asahi and Yuji. I find them pretty fun to write! And no worries. This is just the beginning of what's to come. ;^)**

 **Thank you so much for reading! Your reviews, favorites, and follows say a lot, haha. I hope to see you again in the next chapter.**

 **Have a lovely day~**

 **Little Miss Bunny**


	8. The Awakening

" _Sometimes you need to sacrifice something that matters to you to offer something that matters more to someone else."_ – Anonymous

* * *

No one spoke for a moment. Finally, Reborn said, "Are you sure about this?"

Tsuna smiled. "99% sure. That's enough, right?"

Reborn raised a brow. "99%?"

Tsuna shrugged. "Okay, I'm _70%_ sure it'll work. I only said 99 to make myself feel better."

To his surprise, Reborn seemed to be considering it. "70 is still better than 0. However, I can't predict the risks or guarantee your safety after the seal breaks or if it will. I can only do so much to keep you alive and that's only if your body can handle the pressure during the process."

"You kept your first patient alive for three months," Tsuna said.

"With proper preparation and equipment," Reborn said. "Also, I can't stay by your side forever and my objective with him was not breaking the Flame Seal. The damages might last more than months, maybe years. While I don't doubt Fon can provide what we need, time isn't on our side. You could suffer from another relapse or something worse. I don't think you'd like to know what a heart attack feels like."

Tsuna winced. Hearing Reborn say that was painful, even if he wasn't his Reborn. He also wisely didn't mention that he was once drugged by a jealous gang leader for treating his wife, leading him to actually _have_ a heart attack. It wasn't a pleasant experience, but watching Lal pummel the leader to the ground was. "No, I don't," he said. "But you're talking to someone who just had a mini-stroke. Trust me on this. I think I'll come out okay—for the most part, at least. Coma doesn't even come close to being on the list."

"Is this wise?" Fon said. "You're taking a big risk."

Tsuna smiled thinly. "There's a saying in America: go big or go home. I'm willing to do it."

 _What more do I have to lose?_ he thought.

Fon's lips slightly twitched. "I don't know whether to call you brave or foolish."

"I could care less about what you think of me," Tsuna said. "My main priority is to get rid of this seal so I become a functioning human being again. Can you do it, Reborn-sensei?"

Reborn tapped his chin in thought. "I can."

"And will you?"

"There are risks," Reborn said plainly. "You could die."

"I trust you."

Reborn's lips slightly twitched. "Only to an extent."

Tsuna raised a brow. And here he thought that maybe this Reborn wouldn't have the eerie mind-reading capabilities as his Reborn. "Better than nothing," Tsuna said. "Take it as a small token of motivation."

Reborn studied him closely for a moment, no doubt thinking about all the consequences of screwing this up. Tsuna wasn't entirely sure of his capabilities—Fon vouching for him wasn't enough; opinions were subjective—even if Reborn did save him from his mini-stroke earlier, but there was no one else to turn to. This wasn't him being paranoid, this was him being cautious. So why was he doubting even himself?

Reborn then nodded. "I will do it. Fon?"

Fon smiled faintly. "I promised to repay Tsuna's debt, and I'm not fond of keeping them on hold for long."

"I'm just going to take that as a yes," Tsuna said.

"When do you want to do it?" Reborn said.

"As soon as possible. Preferably right now if none of you are busy."

"You just woke up from a TIA."

"My vitals are good enough and I don't feel nauseous. I'm fine." Tsuna mussed his hair, messing it up even more. "I have a request though. Put me under. No matter what happens, don't try to wake me."

"That's an oddly specific request," Fon said. "Reborn."

Reborn pursed his lips. "Okay. We're going to need some privacy."

* * *

The last time Tsuna was on the operating table had been when he protected Camilla, his assistant, from a violent patient. He had received two stab wounds in the abdomen and a long gash on his arm. It was probably the last time any of the Arcobaleno left him unattended in his clinic. The scars from the scuffle weren't Tsuna's first or last but they remained the most prominent. Needless to say, that was one of the few times Colonello and Reborn managed to work together when they beat the patient to near-death.

Tsuna laid back on his bed before Reborn placed an oxygen mask over his face. "Shamal's outside and will be on stand-by," he said. "He's going to divert outside attention when the seal manages to break. We're not going to take any chances if your flames alerted anyone in the area."

Tsuna nodded. "Okay."

"Fon and I will be here until you wake up."

The other Arcobaleno sat down on Tsuna's stomach, his weight light. Tsuna shifted a bit. "Reborn-sensei…told me you talked to my mother," he mumbled, his breaths fogging up the mask. His vision began to blur. "What did you…tell her?"

"I just asked if you were permitted to stay for the night." Fon tilted his head. "Aren't sleepovers popular amongst children your age?"

Tsuna tried scowling but his eyes just fluttered and his body relaxed against the warm bed. Ah, he forgot how quick anesthesia was. "'m not…a child…"

The last thing he saw before his consciousness faded was Fon smiling down at him.

* * *

When he woke up to the same dark void again, Tsuna immediately ran.

His breaths and loud footsteps were the only sounds in the space. Black—everywhere was black. Where was Tsunayoshi? How did Primo find—

Warmth suddenly surged within him, making him gasp and stumble. It spread from his chest all the way down to his toes. They felt like his own flames but different, purer, even if they weren't as strong as his. A faint orange glow lit up like a tiny beacon in the distance. Tsuna sprinted.

His heart raced against his chest, the loud thuds echoing in his ears. The light grew closer and closer with each passing second. He vaguely wondered if his physical body was doing alright but the thought immediately vanished when he arrived at the seal. The flame inside flickered, creeping to the edge as if it was waiting for Tsuna to come closer. Panting, he strode forward. His hands trembled by his sides. "Kid," he said.

The flame shifted and swirled like it was dancing. Tsuna huffed a laugh. "Calm down. We only met today, you know?" His smile faltered. "How've you been doing?" He looked around to see anything amiss but only saw an endless sea of black. "Doesn't Primo keep you company? It must feel lonely."

Tsuna sighed. He reached forward, hesitating for a moment, before slipping his hand inside the seal. It felt like dipping his hand in lukewarm water. His breath hitched when the flame immediately latched onto him, warm and…happy?

"Kid," he said, his voice cracking. "Don't."

The flame stopped moving but didn't let go. Tsuna swallowed a small lump in his throat. His arms felt numb. The warmth in his body cooled down a bit. "I'm going to—I'm going to free you," he said. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry for everything."

The flame flared and the warmth intensified, almost burning him. Tsuna bit his lip. "I'll probably be the worst roommate ever but I think we can work this out. I think—Yeah, I think we can." He exhaled slowly. "The big, scary red fire is coming soon." The flame stilled again. Tsuna smiled softly. "It'll be okay. I'm here. I'll make sure he doesn't hurt you."

Silence hung over them. Tsuna's mouth felt dry, if that was even possible in this blank void. He felt weak, exhausted, but the flame still burned on, living. "I wish you can talk, but I'm afraid of what you'd say," he said. "It must've been hard, being stuck here all alone. The least Primo could've done was keep you company. I wish this didn't happened to you. I wish"—his cheeks suddenly felt wet—"I wish that you had given me a different answer."

The flame spread from his hand to just above his wrist where the edge of the seal ended. Tsuna laughed and quickly wiped away his eyes. "You lost everything, too," he said. "Be—Be a little more selfish, kid. It'll help. Take it from someone with experience."

They both tensed when a loud boom sounded in the distance. Tsuna gritted his teeth to keep himself from crying out when his hand actually burned. "I'm here. It's okay."

The distant rumble suddenly drew closer. A flash of red sparked in Tsuna's vision. His body felt unbearably hot as red flames soon whooshed in, engulfing the seal. A loud roar surged in Tsuna's ears when he closed his eyes. Small cracks that sounded like popping firecrackers came from his right—the seal. Gasping, Tsuna forced himself to move. He took small steps, the pressure overwhelmingly pushing against him. Fuck, his eyes wouldn't open. He could feel the orange flame— _Tsunayoshi_ —scorching his hand, the sensation coursing up to his shoulder. Clenching his teeth, Tsuna raised his free hand, struggling against the powerful wind; his fingers trembled as he slowly reached for the seal.

He hissed when he brushed something inexplicably hot. Fon's flames. His skin felt like it was melting off—it probably was, shit—but he pushed through, screaming when the heat became unbearable. Suddenly the temperature cooled considerably and holy, Tsuna was pretty sure his skin was _re-growing_ again. Silently thanking Reborn, he pushed through the thick Storm Flames, into the seal, and reached Tsunayoshi.

Tsuna gritted his teeth. "Kid."

Tsunayoshi immediately latched onto his hands out of fear. Fon's flames raged around them. The cracks in the background steadily grew louder over the deafening roar and hisses. Tsuna still couldn't open his eyes; a different, more comforting warmth tingled in his chest, making him gasp.

 _Kid, if you can hear me,_ he thought, _I'm here_.

He desperately tried to remember the nicest memories he had to offer some semblance of comfort. There was one where he and Goro walked along the Yodo River at night, savoring the fresh air and Osaka's lively buzz a distance beside them, away from their bleak lives. The next was him and Lal having dinner at _Ristorante Grotta Palazzese_ in Polignano a Mare; they drank wine after, basking in the crashing waves that echoed in the cave. The food was terrible but the view was worth it.

Tsunayoshi's flame thrummed as if he was laughing. Tsuna continued streaming memory after memory for the kid: pulling pranks on Colonello with Skull, drinking a hot cup of espresso with Reborn, arranging all of Verde's papers beside the sleeping man, meditating with Fon, practicing hand-to-hand combat with Lal and being suddenly whisked away by a laughing Colonello, singing lullabies to Viper.

" _Vorrei che il mare mi annegasse."_ [I would like the sea to drown me.]

Three contrasting heats clashed around Tsuna—Reborn's soothing Sun Flames, Fon's blazing Storm Flames, and Tsunayoshi's warm Sky Flames.

" _E notzie di me non si avessero."_ [And news of me there would not be.]

Tsuna didn't know if it was his memory or him actually singing but he relaxed when Tsunayoshi's flame wrapped around his hands. More crackles broke through the stifling air, like shattering glass.

" _E dopo un anno I'onda mi cacciasse su uno scoglio, mangiata dai pesci."_ [And after one year the wave would send me away on top of a rock, eaten by the fish.]

Tsuna gaped when Tsunayoshi's flame slowly engulfed his wrists, elbows, shoulders—his body burned but it was more like being near a warm fireplace.

" _Dal fetore nessuno si avvicinasse, solo il mio ragazzo ci verrebbe."_ [Nobody would come near because of the stench, only my little boy would come.]

Slowly, Tsuna opened his eyes as the temperature died down. Tears spilled down his cheeks. If it was from the heat, he didn't know. Fon's flames seeped through the mostly broken seal, slowly making their way through the edges more carefully this time. Looking down, Tsuna noticed Reborn's flames wrapped around his chest where his lungs were.

" _Lui verrebbe ed io reusciassi."_ [He would come and I would come back to life.]

Tsuna's voice cracked when Tsunayoshi's flame spread to his neck, then dangerously close to Reborn's flames. No. He stepped away from the yellow flames, almost regretting it when a wave of blistering pain spiked through his body. Fon's flames were too strong. The last of the seal disintegrated into gold dust, vanishing in the darkness. Tsuna's head buzzed from sudden vertigo. Everything swayed as orange flickered in his vision, yellow and red reaching out to him like outstretched hands. His insides felt like they were melting, but the warmth that enveloped him, pouring in his chest, was all he could focus on.

" _E piú bella che non ero mi fareise,"_ he whispered. [Making me more beautiful than I was.]

A humming roar burst in his ears. His body erupted in orange flames. For a moment, he couldn't believe how pure they looked, but Tsunayoshi was a child with only wholesome intentions, untainted unlike him.

Closing his eyes, Tsuna could only silently apologize. For a brief second, he thought he felt something soft ghost his cheeks. It felt like a pair of lips.

"Thank you, Onii-san," a soft voice said. "It's going to be okay now."

A scream tore from Tsuna's lips. The last thing he saw was orange flames flooding his vision.

* * *

"—is dropping!"

"Reborn!"

Tsuna's eyes snapped open then. Removing the oxygen mask, he gasped loudly as he sat upright, sweet air filling his lungs. Everything felt much lighter, the world seemingly clearer in an unusual way, except his heart. Fon immediately hopped off his chest.

"You know," Tsuna said, panting, "you could've at least…toned down the heat a little."

Fon didn't smile. Neither did Reborn. "You nearly died from respiratory and organ failure," he said, jumping on Tsuna's bed. "Even though Fon should've been more careful"—Fon actually rolled his eyes at that; what the fuck—"I don't understand how or why you rejected my flames. Did I also mention that your heart stopped twice?"

Tsuna grimaced. Even though Reborn spoke calmly, there was a tense edge in his voice that indicated his anger. "That doesn't sound fun."

Reborn scowled. "No, it wasn't. You nearly died."

Fon pursed his lips. "While I do acknowledge my mistakes"—Reborn scoffed—"what you did was very dangerous, Tsuna."

Tsuna just buried his face in his hands. An odd tingle at the back of his mind made his stomach sink even more, oddly enough. "Kyoya's coming."

"Kyoya won't be coming anytime soon," Fon said. "Neither is anyone else."

"Fon," Reborn said, taking ahold of the reigns again, "you should leave. Tsunayoshi needs rest."

Fon smiled slightly with a bit of edge. "Are you ordering me in my own house, Reborn?"

"This isn't the time to pick a small argument. Tsunayoshi needs to recuperate from the much unnecessary stress his body went through."

"I welcome you to say things more plainly to my face."

 _ **Window**_ _,_ a small whisper said in the back of Tsuna's mind.

Without thinking, he scrambled out of bed just as the window flew open. The drapes fluttered in the air from the force, letting in the cool evening air. Reborn and Fon hopped down beside Tsuna's feet as Kyoya landed on the ground. Everything seemed to sway as Tsuna tried to stand. Collapsing to his knees, he grabbed the nearest wastebasket and dry heaved inside it. He didn't have the time to be relieved that he didn't vomit anything else but his own spit. Someone rubbed his back as he continued through the motions again, his stomach contracting painfully.

At the corner of his eye, a cup of water breached his vision. He coughed and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. His fingers shook as he reached for the cup. It nearly slipped from his grasp if Kyoya hadn't caught it in time.

"I will hold it for you, little animal," Kyoya said quietly. "Drink."

Tsuna's arms shook while he kept himself upright. Kyoya brought the cup to his lips and helped him sip the water without much difficulty, rubbing his back soothingly. The room was quiet aside from the breeze from outside.

"Kyoya," Fon said, "why are you here?"

Kyoya tensed when he helped Tsuna up, making the brunet purse his lips. That was not a good reaction, never a good reaction. For some reason, it reminded him of Skull whenever Reborn or Colonello called his name.

"I finished my patrol duties," Kyoya said.

 _ **Lie**_.

Sitting back down on his bed, Tsuna gripped Kyoya's arm, making the other raise his brow. "Don't," he said. "Go back."

"What are you talking about, little animal?"

"I'm fine."

"You are not fine."

"I am. You didn't have to come here." Tsuna looked up then, but Kyoya didn't meet his gaze. "I'll live."

"Leave us, Kyoya," Fon said. "Do not forget—I expect a detailed report."

Kyoya furrowed his brows, looking troubled on who to listen to. For someone who was so sure on he was doing, Kyoya didn't seem to think much more ahead than a few steps. Sighing, Tsuna grabbed the boy's hand and placed it over on his chest where his heart was. "I'm fine, Kyoya," he said tiredly. "My heart is beating at a normal rate—well, as normal as it can be. I'm still breathing thanks to Reborn-sensei."

Kyoya pressed his hand a little harder against Tsuna's chest, as if reassuring himself that Tsuna was still alive and true to his words. It was both a little annoying and endearing. Tsuna huffed, his grip tightening around Kyoya's wrist. "Here," he said.

"Tsunayoshi," Reborn said, "you shouldn't."

Tsuna ignored him and reached inside of himself, his core, to bring forth a sliver of the Sky Flames, _his_ Sky Flames. The motion was familiar to him, almost comforting, if the thought of losing something precious for this didn't weigh on his chest. His Sky Flames were easy to access, as if he was just reaching in a small jar, but in this case, the jar was massive. Carefully, he forcefully suppressed the rest of his flames to only let out a small amount. He gritted his teeth. It was only a small feat, nothing that would make him break out into sweat, but he was still adjusting to the new changes; and with how different his body was from his original one, this required more effort.

Kyoya inhaled sharply when Tsuna let the trail of his Sky Flames brush against the boy's Cloud Flames, which felt oddly warm, reminding him of Skull. Tsuna smiled despite himself. _Kyoya really does have a good heart,_ he thought, thinking back to Yuji's words.

"I'm alive," he said, a little louder this time.

He grimaced when Kyoya's Cloud Flames tried to latch onto his Flames, mostly out of pure instinct rather than purposely. Quickly, Tsuna retreated before things became worse. It was easy for elements to Harmonize with a Sky, but even easier for a Sky to reject them without proper courting or from poor compatibility. Kyoya was still young and most likely had no clue about flames and their own inner workings. Besides, Tsuna wasn't ready for any kind of Harmonizing and _definitely_ not with Kyoya.

"You," Kyoya said, "feel different."

Tsuna smiled crookedly. "Yeah?"

"You feel stronger like…" Kyoya glanced to where Fon was standing. His uncle merely watched their exchange in curiosity. Something else passed through his eyes but Tsuna didn't catch it. Despite that, the voice in his mind just hummed reassuringly, silently telling him not to worry.

 _So this is the famed Hyper Intuition_ , Tsuna thought dryly. _I guess you're kind of neat._

His Intuition pulsed slightly as if offended. Tsuna just shook his head with a small smile. He was going crazy. _This_ was crazy.

"Are you feeling nauseous again?" Reborn said, bringing another cup of water to his side. "You need to drink more water to keep yourself hydrated. Your body is still recuperating. I'm surprised you're still moving."

"Thank you," Tsuna said, accepting the cup. "Kyoya, you can let go."

Holding the cup was easier this time, even though his arm still trembled a bit. This time, Reborn helped him drink by keeping his elbow steady. "Kyoya," the Arcobaleno said, "please move your hand. I need to check Tsuna's heart."

Reluctantly, Kyoya let his hand drop but didn't move from his spot. Fon, surprisingly, took Tsuna's empty cup away as Reborn pulled a pair of green stethoscopes from his coat pocket. They were hilariously small, about the size of Tsuna's pinkie.

"Leon," Reborn said.

The stethoscope's tube and bell immediately expanded to a normal size while the headset remained small for Reborn to use. Tsuna glanced at the other occupants in the room. "I don't know if I'm comfortable with this," he deadpanned.

Reborn slightly lifted his shirt. "One is stubborn and the other is a brick," he said as Leon snaked his way up to Tsuna's chest. "I apologize for not being able to accommodate you more comfortably in a better setting."

The cold bell made the brunet shiver but he still couldn't help but laugh. "Which one is which?"

Reborn placed the ear tips in his ears. His lips slightly twitched. "I personally can't tell the difference."

Fon hopped on top of the bed next to Tsuna's thigh. "It is rude to speak ill of those who are present."

"It's also rude to stay in a patient's check-up," Tsuna said dryly.

"Inhale and exhale, Tsunayoshi," Reborn said. "Stop when I tell you to."

Tsuna did what Reborn asked, looking anywhere but the Arcobaleno. Fon smiled slightly at the corner of his eye. "That is also true," he said.

Tsuna scoffed lightly. "And yet, you're still here."

"I didn't tell you to stop," Reborn said.

"Right. Sorry."

Tsuna continued inhaling and exhaling for a few more seconds before Reborn told him to stop. He glanced at Kyoya who fixed a stubborn gaze on the edge of his bed. He had no doubt that Kyoya was listening in on his heartbeat and lungs to triple-check that he was still alive. Tsuna mentally rolled his eyes. What a worrywart.

"You're in decent condition otherwise," Reborn said. "I still wouldn't take any chances. You must keep hydrating yourself. When was the last time you ate?"

Tsuna scratched the back of his head. "What time is it?"

"11:29 P.M."

"12:15 P.M.," Kyoya said. "He barely ate lunch."

Tsuna's brow twitched. "No one asked you."

"You wouldn't have told him otherwise."

Tsuna sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Please drop out of my school. Thanks."

"I do not think that will be happening any time soon," Fon said, making himself comfortable.

"Do I want to know?"

Fon smiled. "I believe you do."

Reborn pursed his lips as Leon morphed into his chameleon form and crawled onto the Arcobaleno's shoulder. It really was weird to see Reborn without his signature fedora. If Tsuna wasn't any better, he'd keep pinching himself every minute to make sure he wasn't dreaming.

"Before we go any further," Reborn said, "Tsunayoshi needs to eat something. He can't go on an empty stomach."

"My mom will flip if she hears how much of a terrible host you are," Tsuna deadpanned.

Fon hid his mouth with his sleeve in a small gesture of amusement rather than embarrassment. "Of course. Where are my manners?" He hopped down the bed and headed for the door. "I will send for some porridge. Kyoya, follow me."

Kyoya tensed but didn't move. His face was pinched, as if he was physically resisting the order. Tsuna huffed. "Come on, don't keep him waiting. I'm _fine_."

Kyoya lingered for a second or two more before nodding slightly and following Fon outside. When he shut the door behind him, a bout of silence fell in the room. Tsuna leaned his back against the wall, trying to keep his thoughts at bay.

"You're much more dangerous than I thought," Reborn said, scratching Leon's chin. He sat down in-between Tsuna's legs, looking faintly weary.

Tsuna bit his lips to prevent himself from asking if Reborn wanted expresso. Instead, he said, "Me, dangerous? Whatever you're on, I'd gladly take it too."

Reborn smiled slightly. "To have someone like Kyoya by your side already warrants supervision on your part. Whatever Fon's reasons are for keeping an eye on you, I don't disagree, especially after your seal broke." He frowned. "Be careful. The Demon of Kokuyo cannot be soft."

Tsuna didn't respond right away, already lost in his thoughts. He knew that he was already in deep. On the bright side of things, it'd be easier to see the Arcobaleno again, even if they weren't his. He had already met two in fairly short amount of time. Still, just seeing them brought a small level of comfort to him and that was all he could focus on at the moment. Now he just couldn't wallow anymore. That wasn't what Tsunayoshi would've wanted.

He raised his hand to grasp his chest, unconsciously relishing in the familiar but different warmth in his body. His Sky Flames— _their_ Sky Flames—were free now, roaming inside him in fervor like an excited puppy. Tsuna had promised Tsunayoshi just as the child let go of his remaining essence, that he'd make the best out of his new life, to honor the child's last hopes of him finding happiness again. It wasn't going to be an easy road, but for now, Tsuna was going to walk with lighter steps.

"Is your chest hurting?" Reborn said, Leon already on his fingertips, poised to transform back into his stethoscopes.

"No," Tsuna said. "I'm fine. I…" He looked down to meet Reborn's black eyes. They were much more expressive than his Reborn's, with their serious but calm gaze. "I'm more than fine. I feel like some part of me came back. I feel…whole."

 _But at what cost?_ he thought, feeling the phantom sensation of lips brushing his cheek.

"That's good to hear."

Either this Reborn couldn't tell Tsuna was lying or he just chose not to push. Tsuna's Intuition not so helpfully told him it was the latter.

"He's not a demon," Tsuna said softly. "Kyoya…Kyoya has a good heart."

"You don't know him well," Reborn said.

"I know people and I know enough." Tsuna rubbed his eyes, nodding off a bit. "He's just a kid…like me. Kids don't know any better."

Before Reborn could respond, Tsuna suddenly tensed, his senses immediately going haywire.

 _ **Danger! Run!**_

He grabbed Reborn in his arms and dashed for the door just as something smashed through the window. The sound of shattered glass and roaring fire blurred behind him. His legs moved without him thinking. Some servants dashed around in the hallways, yelling for security and backup. A few held _kodachis_ in their hands.

"Little master!" a maid said, grabbing a hold of Tsuna's arm. "It's dangerous here! Please, follow me! _Kumicho_ is this way!"

 _ **Liar. Imposter.**_

Tsuna wrenched away from her grip and stumbled back. He widened his eyes. She was the one who had led him to Fon back at the pavilion the other day. "You…"

"We must leave!" she said, reaching for him again.

Reborn snapped him out of his small daze. "Tsunayoshi!"

Tsuna turned and ran the other way from where he came, letting his Intuition guide him through the chaotic hallways. "What the hell is going on?"

"I'm not sure!" Reborn said. "But we need to find refuge quickly!"

"She was lying!" Tsuna said, entering an empty room. "I think there's a mole in the clan."

Reborn frowned. "What? How—Your Intuition. Primo's Hyper Intuition."

Tsuna slid the window open. "Want a cookie for that? We need to get out of here."

In his weakened state, there was nothing Tsuna could do to keep himself or Reborn safe.

 _ **3 intruders. Door.**_

Not a second later, the door slammed open. Three suited men with bloody knives barged into the room. They definitely weren't part of the Hibari household. Tsuna gasped when Reborn leapt out of his arms. "Reborn!"

The Arcobaleno instantly became a blur of white and black but Tsuna somewhat picked on his movements. With a Leon-turned knife in his hand, Reborn gained inhuman speed, definitely his Sun Flames at work, and slashed each man's throat with deadly precision. He landed back on the ground gracefully before the men could even process what happened to them.

Tsuna stared at Reborn silently, ignoring the thuds in the background. "Remind me to never underestimate you again," he said in disbelief. Still, a part of him was reassured by this. Not that he would be deadweight, but because the way Reborn had moved like he had _experience_. Maybe he wasn't all that different. Tsuna could only hope.

Reborn frowned. "I apologize that you had to see that."

Tsuna shook his head slowly. "I thought you were just a doctor. You were like a hitman…or something."

A rueful look passed in Reborn's eyes. "Come on. We need to find Fon. I'd rather not get involved in his messes."

Tsuna nodded. "Alright."

Reborn shifted his Leon-knife to his left hand. "Notify me of anything out of the ordinary, no matter how small."

"I got you." Tsuna stepped over the men's corpses, though some blood coated his heels, making him wrinkle his nose. "Is your hand okay?"

Reborn smiled slightly. "It's fine. I'm left-handed. Follow me closely. We don't have time to waste."

* * *

 **A/N Well, lots of things are happening. :^D**

 **RIP Tsunayoshi… He deserved better… :'^(**

 **The lullaby Tsuna was singing is called "Nonna Nonna" from Caserta, Italy.**

 **Thank you so much for your reviews, favorites, and follows! I'm glad to see so many of you enjoying the story and joining the ride. The fun's just getting started. ;^)**

 **Thank you for reading! I hope to see you again in the next chapter.**

 **Have a lovely day~**

 **Little Miss Bunny**


	9. The Ambush

" _Resolve to be a master of change rather than a victim of change."_ – Brian Tracey

* * *

Reborn ran a few steps ahead of Tsuna as they navigated the hallways. Most of the doors were broken down and the rooms were ransacked; oddly, there was nothing stolen. Distant shouts came from the right, but Tsuna's senses instantly honed in on from the left.

 _ **Flying net. Knives. 4 men.**_

 _Flying_ what? Tsuna thought, turning his head.

As if on cue, four more men appeared from the garden bushes. One of them flung something in his hand and threw it at Tsuna who dove forward immediately. "Reborn!"

 _What the hell?_ he thought. _Are they targeting_ me?

 _ **Kyoya. Trap.**_

Tsuna widened his eyes just as Reborn leapt in the air to take care of the intruders. "Reborn, we need to find Kyoya!"

The Arcobaleno bounded back to him with two easy hops. "Why? What is it?"

Tsuna glanced at the limp net on the floor. "They're after me to get to Kyoya." He narrowed his eyes. "I don't know the full details, but I'm already pissed off."

Reborn looked up at him curiously behind a calm gaze. "You're not afraid."

Tsuna raised a brow. "I'm too pissed to be scared."

"You're a civilian."

"I'm a fan of slasher films. What's wrong with a little bit of maiming and killing?"

Reborn huffed lightly. "You're a strange child."

If someone called him a child again, Tsuna was going to flip shit. Then again, they weren't technically wrong but it still grated his nerves. "Thanks," he said dryly. "I get that every day."

 _It says something that they're targeting me to get to Kyoya,_ he thought, following Reborn again. _But how did they know? Why now? Were they alerted by my Flames? I thought Shamal was in charge of that, but I don't know his capabilities. Either way, they're pretty bold coming all the way out here and launching a direct attack. Wait…_

 _ **Move!**_

Tsuna yelped when Reborn suddenly pushed him back to avoid a flying Molotov cocktail that exploded against the wall in flames. Covering his eyes, he stumbled backwards and coughed as smoke and flames rose in the hot air. The heat prickled his skin, making him scramble backwards to get away from the spreading fire. It burned through the wallpaper and the bamboo doors, crinkling the white paper into black. Tsuna's vision blurred both from the smoke and exhaustion. His eyes watered while he covered his mouth.

White foam and a hissing sound suddenly filled the air. The flames were quickly snuffed by a Leon-turned, green fire extinguisher. Tsuna almost toppled over if Reborn hadn't appeared by his side and pushed him back up against the wall. "Tsunayoshi, are you alright?" he said.

Tsuna coughed. "I'm—I'm fine. Just—That was a little sudden. We need to keep going."

"You're exhausted," Reborn said, his hand on Tsuna's leg. A light trickle of Sun Flames coursed through his body, careful not to come into contact with his Sky Flames. Tsuna tried hard not to be disappointed, _again_ , when he felt the low thrum of Harmonization in Reborn's Flames.

"I can walk," Tsuna said. "Or you can leave me here. There's no more danger…I think."

"I am not leaving you here."

"Worth a shot." Tsuna leaned against the wall for support as he stood up. He swayed a bit before regaining his footing. "Step one, complete. Now step two."

Reborn looked down all the hallways, still ever so calm despite the chaos. "Do you sense anything off?"

"Not at the moment."

"Try to calm down and think. I don't know the full extent of the Intuition's abilities, but it's yours now. Guide it as it guides you."

Tsuna stared at Reborn for a moment. His heart nearly skipped a beat and he didn't even know why. That was…almost what his Reborn would say. He didn't know if that's what he told Decimo, but this was fine. This was good enough. His lips slightly twitched. "You know what," he said, "I think you're pretty cool, _sensei_."

Closing his eyes, Tsuna exhaled slowly, his lungs moving through the motion easier thanks to Reborn's Flames. _I don't know how to do this,_ he thought, hoping the Intuition would heed his call. _But help me. Where's Kyoya?_

Soon, a hum echoed in the back of his mind. _**East Wing. Danger. 23 men. 18 dead.**_

Tsuna opened his eyes. "East Wing. Wait, that's where Hibari-san is!"

"It's not too far from here," Reborn said, hopping onto Tsuna's shoulder. "I'll give you a small boost without overtaxing your muscles. We can get there in seconds."

Tsuna didn't have to be told twice. He turned to the right hallway and literally _sprinted_. "Holy fuck!"

Everything became a total blur around him. Wind filled his lungs and swept his hair so rapidly he thought he wasn't breathing. Soon, more blood and corpses lined the long, solemn hallways. Tsuna gritted his teeth as he ran through thick, red liquid. Goddamn it, he wasn't in the mood to take a shower. Shrieks and yells came from his left. He turned.

 _ **Duck!**_

Tsuna immediately bent backwards, his breath hitching when a limp body flew over him. He yelped when he ended up falling to the ground instead. Rubbing his aching back—oh God, the training he was going to have to go through—he sat up to see Kyoya beating men left and right with his tonfas. Fon sat on a nearby dresser, watching the fight with unnerving calmness that made Tsuna's brow twitch.

 _How fucking helpful,_ he thought.

Reborn pushed him back up and leapt back up to his shoulder. "It seems like the situation is under control."

"No," Tsuna said as the last man fell. "This is just the beginning."

And this time, he didn't need the Intuition for that.

* * *

To say the room was too hot and crowded was an understatement. Tsuna didn't even know how he ended up here but Kyoya had dragged him right after his brawl and made him sit beside him at a long conference table. Suited men and women walked around everywhere, talking on their phones and demanding the state of other locations. Servants hurried about to clean up the gory mess and douse small fires. The stench of blood, sweat, and smoke still lingered in the air.

Fon sat at the head of the table with Hibari on his right. The seat to his left was empty. Tsuna looked at the doors just as Yuji and Asahi entered the meeting room. He stood up. "Hibari-san," he said. "Asahi-san."

"Tsuna-sensei!" Asahi said, his eyes wide. Other than some scratches, he looked fine. "Are you feeling better?"

Tsuna smiled as the man hovered over him, checking for any wounds. "I'm fine, Asahi-san. I'm glad to see you okay. Hibari-san, can you…?"

Yuji had some blood streaked onto his clothes, but was otherwise okay. He smiled tiredly. "I'm fine, Tsuna-sensei. Reborn-sensei healed my wound while you were out." He pursed his lips. "Are you alright?"

He wasn't just referring to his physical state. Tsuna grinned crookedly. "Don't worry. I like slasher films." When he only got blank stares in response, he face-palmed with a groan. "I swear to God, if none of you know what those are, I'm going to shit bricks." He opened an eye when Kyoya nudged his side with his elbow. "What?"

"What are slasher films?" Kyoya said quietly, saying the words like they weren't Japanese.

Tsuna disguised his laugh with a cough. The kid just pummeled 23 men to the ground without breaking a sweat and he was asking him what slasher films were? Aside from the fact that Kyoya had been seriously sheltered for most of his life, he was…ridiculously cute when he wanted to be, even if it was unintentional. Ah, youth. Come to think of it, Tsuna had always been fond of kids. Kids, not young adults who were going through puberty. Fuck 'em. Not literally though.

Oh my God, he must be delirious for even _thinking_ those things. His train of thought was splitting into five different tracks at once and that only happened when he was on the brink of exhaustion.

 _I wonder where I-pin is,_ he thought suddenly, Fon's precious student then appearing in his mind. She had stayed with Decimo as a way of Fon keeping her away from the Triads and she seemed like a sweet girl, always looking out for Decimo's Lightning Guardian and brightening up whenever she had the chance to see Fon. Tsuna hoped that she at least had a good life here.

"—ttle animal?"

Tsuna blinked. When he came to, Reborn stood in front of him on the table, a cup of water in his hand. A hush fell over the room and it took a moment for Tsuna to realize that everyone was staring at him like a new specimen. Feeling just a bit creeped out, he accepted the cup with mumbled thanks and sipped the cool water slowly.

He should've known things weren't going to get any better when Reborn sat down in front of him, facing the other nameless men around the table. Yuji sat to Fon's left with Asahi standing behind him, giving Tsuna almost pitiful glances.

"Now that we've exchanged pleasantries," Fon said, a steely smile in place, "perhaps we should speak of what had occurred not too long ago."

Tsuna couldn't stop himself from spitting out water onto poor Reborn. He choked and coughed as Kyoya patted his back and promptly threw the cup to Tetsuya's expectant hands—wow, Tsuna just realized _now_ he and Asahi were father and son—as if it was poison. "Reborn-sensei, s—sorry," Tsuna coughed out.

Reborn didn't bat an eye. He probably had worse thrown up on him. Still, that didn't make Tsuna feel any better. "It's fine," Reborn said. "Are you alright? Is your throat—"

Tsuna stood up. "I'm okay. Just—I don't think I should be here for…this."

He froze when Fon directed his smile at him. It was anything but pleasant. "I think you do," the Arcobaleno said. "So sit, Tsuna."

Tsuna sat down without his Intuition having to tell him. Even when his Fon got serious, no one argued with the normally peaceful man. "Towel," he mumbled, trying to look for one in the room. All he saw were men and women in suits Leon's eyes flickered towards him before morphing into a towel perfect for Reborn's size. The brunet took ahold of him before Reborn could reach it. "Let me do this much."

Reborn just raised a brow but shrugged off his white coat, revealing his damp gray shirt. Tsuna pulled his chair closer and held towel-Leon in his hands. He paused momentarily, glancing at Fon from the corner of his eye. "Well?" he said. "I'm sitting."

Nearly everyone in the room flinched. Tsuna just dried Reborn's hair with the towel, ignoring the elevating tension in the air. Even was Reborn was a little tense despite keeping a blank face.

"Yes, you are," Fon said, his smile never wavering. "Thank you. Now, what was that?"

The question was addressed to the rest of the room but no one spoke. Tsuna gently wiped Reborn's cheeks, patting them dry. He surveyed the room wearily. Some people shifted their gaze to the floor or an invisible spot on the wall, anywhere else but Fon. Not even Yuji could look him in the eye and he was the _oyabun_. A bit soft—okay, he was way too soft to be one—but he had to have some kind of steel in him to gain the loyalty that he had. Somehow, the puzzle pieces were coming together, with Tsuna's Intuition confirming his suspicions. Still, he didn't voice his thoughts. It wasn't his place.

 _ **Not yet.**_

 _Oh, shut_ up, Tsuna thought.

Fon didn't move. "I am clearly speaking Japanese." He zeroed in on a well-muscled man three chairs down. "Watanabe." The man tensed but bowed his head anyways. "Explain yourself."

"M—My"—Watanabe cleared his throat—"My men were stationed in their original positions and there was no deviation from the security plans, _kumicho_. Everyone rotated just as the—the attacks occurred."

"Kyoya."

Tsuna actually took pity when Kyoya went a little rigid beside him. The boy's gaze rested on the table.

"Your patrol duties were cut a little short, weren't they?" Fon said, as if he was talking about the weather. "Did you survey your men?"

Kyoya steeled himself but Tsuna could see his white knuckles on his lap. "Yes," he said. "They completed their duties efficiently. There were no suspicious reports on our territories, no sightings of enemies, or—"

"You left."

Kyoya didn't stray his gaze. Tsuna took Reborn's coat and wrung some water out to the side. The man next to him grunted in disgust but didn't move away. Tiny droplets of water dripped onto the carpeted floor, making little dark spots on the golden-brown fabric. He straightened out the coat and held it up for Reborn to slip on.

"You left before your patrol was supposed to end," Fon said. "Nearly half of your men were killed after you left. Did you forget that the leader _leads_ and not _leave_ his herd behind?"

Tsuna sighed loudly. Seriously, what the _fuck_ was he doing here? Well, his Intuition was saying that _this_ was the absolute _perfect_ time to speak up and he really wasn't in the mood for it, no matter how the little shit goaded him on.

 _I swear to God, if you were real, I'd slice you open and just leave you there,_ Tsuna thought.

"Tsunayoshi," Reborn said, "does your head hurt?"

"Yes," Tsuna said, looking up. "Everything hurts, but nothing hurts more than watching this lovely family spat. Fon-san, I do hope you're not going where I think you're going."

A woman with long black hair stood up abruptly from her seat. "How dare you address _kumicho_ that way!"

"I said -san, Miss…? Whatever. You're not the point here." Somehow his Intuition told him that this was the _right_ way to go about things now, but Tsuna wasn't all that happy with it. Sounding like a major asshole would look bad for Fon, the _kumicho_ of all people, in front of his merry men and women, wasn't smart. What was the purpose of his Intuition again? "Kyoya, where were your men attacked?"

The woman glared at him, resembling a hawk. "Don't speak to me that way, boy! Who are you?"

Tsuna waved her off. "You don't have to know. I'm not talking to you. Kyoya?"

The woman scoffed indignantly in the background as Kyoya tilted his head slightly, still tense but curious. "Why?" he said.

"We're going to go through this like the smart, logical people we're supposed to be," Tsuna said as if he was talking to a child. "Tell me where your men were killed."

" _Kumicho_!" Watanabe slammed his fist against the table, making Tsuna roll his eyes. How melodramatic. "Who is this boy? This does not concern him in any way!"

Fon sipped a cup of tea, looking even more intimidating from the simple gesture. Tsuna kept his mouth shut. It was best to let the Arcobaleno exert his control rather than be supposedly humiliated by a teenager. However, he had a feeling that this wasn't the case.

 _ **Stay with the Storm and Cloud. Safe.**_

Tsuna mentally groaned. _Ah, fuck._

While the others bickered a one-sided argument, Tsuna rested his cheek on his palm. Reborn handed him a refilled cup of water. "Shamal is outside," he said quietly. "I can ask him to get some painkillers. My Flames would only stimulate your headache."

"I'm fine," Tsuna said.

Reborn pursed his lips. "I hope you know what you're doing, Tsunayoshi. You're walking on very thin line here."

"Don't worry," Tsuna muttered. "My Intuition guarantees a 100% survival rate with this, whatever this is. Although, any tips on shutting it up?"

Reborn's lips twitched slightly. "I'm afraid that's not in my department, but I'm inclined to learn more later."

"Fair point. Also, tips on how to handle Fon?"

"Don't make him angry."

"I think he kind of is."

"Oh, and get to the point."

Tsuna raised a brow, though he couldn't help but smile. "You're enjoying this, aren't you?"

"I haven't the slightest idea to what you're talking about."

Tsuna didn't need the Intuition to tell him that Reborn was lying. Finally, everyone silenced when Fon placed his cup back down. "Sit," he said in the same pleasant tone, "or do you all require assistance?"

He didn't have to repeat twice. Tsuna scanned the room again for potential annoyances. Hawk lady and Watanabe were already on his list. There were four other _saiko komons_ , senior advisers—he assumed they had to be since they were present and seated—and each looked more miserable than the next, clearly terrified to go against Fon, which was good Tsuna supposed. It was how Goro had handled his small association: keeping them on a tight leash and showing his fists if they tried to bite off more than they could chew. It was effective 98% of the time before some of them staged a mutiny.

"Tsuna," Fon said, directing everyone else's attention to him again, "is the doctor who saved Yuji."

Tsuna pursed his lips. This really wasn't the situation he wanted to be in right now.

" _Him_?" Watanabe said, his eyes wide.

"He's so young," another man whispered.

"Is he like them…?"

"He's not a baby."

Tsuna's brow twitched. He opened his mouth to say some choice words when Kyoya lightly nudged his foot with his own. He shook his head, silently telling him not to speak. Tsuna scowled, which honestly looked more like pout with his current face. He had never hating being a kid so much in his life.

"Must I always chastise you all like children about respect?" Fon said. Tsuna wished he could frown now because at this point, his smile was just fucking creepy. It was always the nice ones—well, in this case, Fon wasn't the nice type. "If there is an issue you have, I will give you permission to speak."

No one did. Seriously, again, what the fuck was Tsuna doing here?

 _ **Stay with the Storm and Cloud. Safe.**_

 _I got that the first time_ , he thought. _Doesn't mean I like it._

"And what input were you about to offer, Tsuna?" Fon said, his smile tightening just slightly.

Everyone could tell that he was nearly at his limit, and Tsuna wasn't willing to find out what would happen if the Arcobaleno crossed that line. "I wanted to ask Kyoya where his men were killed," he said.

"Why?"

"Because it could maybe narrow down why and how this attack occurred in the first place," Tsuna said almost blandly. "Also, I will respectfully disagree with you trying to pin the blame on others. Actually, only with Kyoya because I don't like the rest." Watanabe scowled at him along with hawk lady but neither of them spoke. "I don't know the extent of Kyoya's patrol duties or what his designated areas are—just to remind you, I'm going off of both logic and movies here so stop me if I sound ridiculous—but you said that the attacks happened after he left."

"The timing _is_ off," Yuji said, unsure if he should speak. "Also, Watanabe mentioned that the attack here occurred when security was being rotated."

Tsuna smiled sweetly. "Wonderful deduction, Hibari-san! I'm glad you're feeling better now thanks to Reborn-sensei." Ignoring the man's faint flush, he addressed Kyoya again, "Before we go _there_ , Kyoya, do you know where your men were killed?"

"Shinjuku, Shibuya, Shinagawa, Musashino, and Mitaka," Kyoya said promptly.

"Okay," Tsuna said, drumming his fingers against the table. "I apologize, Fon-san, but I'm getting to the good part. Bear with me. Now, there's one, two, three, four, five—five? Wow, what a coincidence. I'm sorry, Watanabe-san, but you're not included in this one. Your turn will come soon. I'm going to assume that you five represent the places that Kyoya listed, meaning something _else_ happened other than his men being killed."

"Who _are_ you?" Watanabe said.

"Yes," a soft-spoken woman said. A long scar ran from her cheek to just above her left eye and she looked the least ruffled compared to the others. "If I may speak, _kumicho_." Fon merely nodded. "You are correct. My name is Nakajima Kiyo and I handle the affairs in Shinjuku. First, I would like to thank you for saving _oyabun's_ life. We are indebted to you. Second, I have checked over any lost inventory. My children are still updating me on the damages. Nothing was stolen." Tsuna had to respect her tact. He really didn't want to know what this group dabbled in because it would just ruin Fon's image even further. God, why was this so hard? "Some of my children were killed in the crossfire but the attacks were more like hit-and-runs."

Either children referred to her actual kids or how she called her underlings. Tsuna's Intuition told him plainly that it was the latter. "Alright. And the rest?"

A tall, lanky man standing at the corner of the room with a hefty journal looked up then, his nearly dead eyes fixating on Tsuna with eerie calmness. "We have suffered damages and financial losses in the mentioned areas," he said, "but nothing of value was stolen."

"I'm going to assume that you control more areas than that," Tsuna said, glancing at Fon.

Fon merely smiled at him. "Yes. More than half of Japan belongs to us."

"Congratulations," Tsuna deadpanned. "If nothing valuable was stolen, we can assume that they were just distractions. Do you remember the maid that led me to the pavilion before, Fon-san?"

"Yes."

"You have a mole." Everyone else looked at him with wide eyes. "That explains how the main attack here occurred. She could've somehow gotten ahold of the security details and informed her group when the rotation occurred."

"Where is she?" Watanabe said. "Why didn't you bring her in?"

"Watanabe-san," Yuji said, furrowing his brows, "please calm down. We need to assess this situation carefully."

"Just like how you met up with that informant from _Akasasori-Gumi_?" a bespectacled man said, narrowing his eyes. Red Scorpion Association—Tsuna filed that name away for later. "You have shown great assessment _there_ , _oyabun_."

Yuji faltered a bit. "That—It was different."

"I don't see you doing any better, Ogawa," Kiyo said. "You managed to be tricked by them in the first place. Your poor information nearly sent _oyabun_ to his death."

Before anyone else could respond, Tsuna raised a hand, somehow silencing everyone in the room. "Something else that we don't have other than intelligence is _time_ ," he said. "This is the part in the movies where another fuck-up is about to happen. I wasn't able to catch the maid because what could I do? She tried to lead me away but I ran from her. Long story short: Kyoya is the real target."

"She tried to take you?" Yuji said, eyes wide.

"Along with some other men but that's beside the point."

Kyoya pursed his lips. "Where are they?"

"Dead," Tsuna said, "thanks to Reborn-sensei. It doesn't matter. The more important thing is that Kyoya is their target. That can only mean two different things. One, they're using him to get to either Hibari-san or Fon-san, or two, they're just a bunch of dumb shits who're trying to gain recognition."

"Then it can't be _Akasasori_ ," Kiyo said. "We cut their resources by half a few weeks ago. They couldn't have been able to conduct this large-scale attack in such short time."

" _Hisuikumo_ is too busy with their own internal conflicts," a man with slicked-back hair said. Jade Spiders—Tsuna wished he had a pen and paper to write this down. Actually, no. Screw that. "Perhaps, it is a new group? Some of my men in Shibuya have heard about an insurgent group in the works."

"Whoever they are," Fon said, gathering everyone's attention, "I expect them to never return." He stood up. "Meeting is dismissed. Fix your mistakes. I expect results."

"Yes, _kumicho_!"

Tsuna blinked and leaned down to whisper in Reborn's ear, "That's it?"

"Tsuna," Fon said, hopping to the floor, "follow me please. Kyoya, you may come if you wish."

"I spoke too soon," Tsuna deadpanned.

Reborn shook his head. "Can't this wait, Fon? Tsuna needs rest."

When they walked out into the hallways, Tsuna sensed Kyoya shadowing his back, just a little closer by his shoulder in case. He didn't even have the energy to speak anymore. "My mom's going to sue you," he said, glaring weakly at Fon's back.

"Thank you for putting on a good show, Tsuna," Fon said instead, smiling slightly. "It was quite entertaining; however, I do wish that you would stick with, ah, what was it? The script. But I suppose that was too much to ask for from someone like you."

"Excuse me?" That was a fucking insult if Tsuna had ever heard one.

"Oh, you're not excused yet. There's something I would like for you to see."

"Fon," Reborn said. "This better be quick."

"Don't push me. I'm already at my limits as it is, Reborn." Fon glanced over his shoulder, a cold gleam in his eyes. "I was surprised to hear that you killed the men after Tsuna. And to think you could even run away from your own shadow is a fruitless pursuit in itself."

"I only did what was necessary," Reborn said blandly. "I know you don't like rats reappearing in your home."

Fon smiled slightly. "How considerate."

"You're welcome."

Tsuna was too tired to pick on their relationship. He wanted to sleep. "Fon," he said as they approached a different, clean hallway. There wasn't a speck of blood anywhere. "I don't know what you want me to see but can't it wait until tomorrow?"

"No."

 _ **Lie.**_

"You're lying."

Everyone, even Shamal who had joined their little group, paused in their step. Tsuna swayed on his feet a little, only kept steady by Kyoya's hand on his shoulder. "I just went through some pretty life-changing circumstances a few hours ago," he nearly hissed. "You know about the Intuition. I _know_ you do; don't try denying it. All that was for show for the rest of them but I know you're trying to test me and I'm probably rambling at this point. I don't care what you want to show me. I'm going to faint in two minutes."

The adrenaline in Tsuna's system had already faded when Kyoya dragged him in the meeting room, and he only went on through sheer willpower. He was used to being pushed to the brink of exhaustion back in his clinic and Goro's off-beat schedules, but this body wasn't.

His vision blurred a bit. Someone was talking but he couldn't understand what they were saying.

 _ **Let go. Safe.**_

Tsuna felt the world turning sideways and everything went black.

* * *

When he opened his eyes, Tsuna found himself at a vast, soft meadow with the bluest sky he had ever seen. A fresh breeze tousled his hair, carrying the lingering fragrance of sweet grass and poppies. Someone stood a few feet away from him. He knew who it was.

"This is quite beautiful," Primo said, his gaze lost in thought.

Tsuna stood up, feeling weightless and less haggard, and walked over to where Primo stood. He kept a little distance from the other man. "I was hoping that this wouldn't be a regular thing," he said.

Primo didn't look at him. "Don't mind me, Harada Tsunayoshi. I just came here to mourn."

Tsuna tensed. He gently touched his cheek, feeling the kid's lips linger on his skin, like a faint, scorching mark. "I'm sorry," he said.

"You don't have to apologize," Primo said, turning to face him. "Perhaps this was just meant to be."

"I didn't mean for it to turn out this way."

"And I didn't expect for any of this to happen." Primo smiled faintly. "On the other hand, I feel as if it's better that you're here. I have seen glimpses of Tsunayoshi's life and I do not believe that he would've lived much longer."

Tsuna furrowed his brows. For once, he wished that he had never led the life that he did. But would he have met the others that way? Maybe, maybe not. Sighing in frustration, he ran a hand through his hair. "I'm not a saint," he said, "but I don't like where you're going with this."

Primo hummed to himself. "No one usually likes the path they're walking on. Fate has other ideas. The road you're travelling on now has already been pre-determined and laid out for you."

"What a load of bullshit." Primo jumped a bit when Tsuna kicked some dirt and grass underneath him. "I never liked the fate concept. If you believe it, you're an idiot. I don't like what's happening now. I still feel like shit for what happened to the kid and always do. I wish things went differently, but I'm not going to get hung up on it. That's just wasting my time. He wouldn't have wanted it and I'm too much of an asshole to let it be." Tsuna looked up at the other man, his hands clenching into fists. His Flames surged in his body, seeping from his skin and coating his figure. "There's a reason why I was the Sky Arcobaleno in my world."

Primo didn't seem too fazed by the power that emitted from Tsuna but there was a flash of surprise in his eyes. "The Sky Arcobaleno?" His lips curled into a small smile. "I see."

Tsuna narrowed his eyes. "Don't assume you know anything, Primo. You were nicer back in my world, too, by the way."

Primo raised his hands in a placating gesture. "I apologize."

"I know this isn't the ideal situation for you. I know that the kid is your descendent, which sucks because I'm not. I have no plans to get involved with Vongola or be anyone's tool. I'm here for a reason and I'm not planning to give up on it anytime soon."

A curious gleam glinted in Primo's eyes, which wasn't a good sign. "If there was one thing I would've liked to be slightly different, it would be to have you as my descendent instead. Your resolve is remarkable, a true testament to your status as an Arcobaleno." Tsuna furrowed his brows when Primo took a step forward. "However, that doesn't mean anything here, Harada Tsunayoshi. You are stuck in this body in a world that's not your own. What can you do?"

Tsuna smirked. "Don't underestimate the underdog, Primo. I'm making my own way and you're not going to stop me." Sky Flames erupted around his fists, warm and pulsing with power. Primo widened his eyes. "Sorry, but I'm tired of seeing your shitty face again."

He punched the ground, creating a rift and sending debris everywhere. Orange bled into his vision until everything turned white and vanished.

* * *

Sleep continued being peaceful for the most part—until his Intuition told him to wake the fuck up.

Groaning lightly, Tsuna rubbed his eyes and turned over on his…futon? He sat up quickly, looking around the familiar room. It was Kyoya's room. He looked to the windows, which were covered by long blue drapes. Rising to his feet, he went over to pull them back, only to be assaulted by sunlight. It was 12:22 P.M and Saturday. Tsuna didn't question how he knew that. It was too creepily natural for him. Just then, a generic ringtone broke the silence.

He found his clean backpack leaning against the wall and fished his phone out of the side pocket. He paled. Nana.

"Mama?" God, he sounded like crap.

"Tsu-kun!" Nana said. "Are you okay? Did you sleep well?"

Tsuna cleared his throat. "I'm fine. Just…needed water." He scratched the back of his head as he looked down to see himself in clean, white pajamas. His feet were clean, too. Only the thought that Kyoya hadn't been the one to do this was just slightly comforting. Just slightly. "I'm sorry for not telling you about the…sleepover." Someone just kill him now.

"Oh, don't worry about that. Still, I was surprised to hear your friend's uncle on your phone. He sounds like such a nice man."

"Yeah," Tsuna said, thinking back to Fon's creepy smile throughout that bullshit meeting. "He's…nice."

"Are you okay, Tsu-kun? You can always cut it short and come home early. I'm sure Arashi-san won't mind."

Tsuna's brow twitched. Kyoya was coming. "I'm fine, Mama. We were planning on playing some video games today."

"Oh, of course! Go, go! I'm so glad to hear you're having fun. Don't push yourself, alright? I'm always a phone call away if you need anything."

"Yeah, thanks, Mama. I gotta go now."

"Okay, have fun, Tsu-kun! I'll see you tomorrow!"

Before Tsuna could register what she just said, Nana hung up. He looked up in disbelief just as the doors slid open. " _Tomorrow_?" he said. "You're… Kyoya?"

The boy stood at the doorway, wearing the same clothes as last night, still bloody and looking weary. Tsuna frowned. "Kyoya, did you sleep?"

"How are you feeling, little animal?" Kyoya said instead.

"Jesus." Tsuna immediately pulled him into the room and shoved him towards the bathroom. He ignored how Kyoya tensed underneath his grip, which immediately loosened when he sensed bruises. "Go take a shower."

"I need to—"

"Yes, take a shower." Tsuna turned on the knobs and tested the water to make sure it wasn't too hot. "Don't worry. You won't get in trouble. No one's going to come in."

Kyoya stood frozen at the door. "I can't," he said. "I—"

"Will take a shower," Tsuna said, leaving no room for argument. "Whatever Fon says, I'll talk to him." He smiled mischievously. "If you're not getting in, I'm going to strip you."

That seemed to get Kyoya moving. He walked past Tsuna awkwardly and pushed him gently out the bathroom before closing it shut. Tsuna snickered under his breath. Always worked like a charm with Skull. His smile dropped. Comparing Kyoya to _Skull_ was… God, someone just kill him already.

He walked over to shift through Kyoya's wardrobe. Finding a clean black suit and white shirt, he took them out and hung it above the dresser. Now, all he had to do was wait. He looked down at his hands, remembering the feeling of his Flames encasing them in orange, rippling with power. It was almost euphoric. Plus, it was nice telling Primo to basically fuck off and not try to bring up anything Tsuna wasn't willing to hear. His Intuition said otherwise but he'd be ready then to enforce his message.

Kyoya wasn't in the shower for long. Just as he opened the door, Tsuna handed him his clothes in exchange for his bloody ones. The door shut close again right after. Tsuna dumped the dirty suit in a laundry hamper nearby and cleaned up the futon.

 _3, 2, 1…_

The bathroom door opened again and Kyoya stepped out wearing the fresh set of clothes Tsuna had given him. He looked better, with more color to his skin, but the dark circles under his eyes didn't disappear.

"Come over here," Tsuna said, patting the floor.

Kyoya pursed his lips. "Little animal, we need to go," he said, almost morosely.

"I know. Sit." Tsuna stood up to get the hair dryer. Once he plugged it into the wall, he turned it on and started drying Kyoya's wet hair. "Best to go back looking like you didn't fall into the pond or something."

Kyoya huffed like as if that would ever happen. Since Tsuna was not that tall, he stood above the other boy, which was the perfect arrangement, much to his dismay. Neither of them spoke while Tsuna carded his hand gently through Kyoya's hair. His hand didn't shake anymore and he didn't whack Kyoya's head with the blow dryer. Finally, when he finished, Tsuna put the dryer away in the bathroom.

"Here's what we're going to do," he said as Kyoya stood up. "One, I'm going to eat. Whatever Fon wants me to do can wait because I'm starving. Two, you're going to sleep right after Fon is done with whatever he's doing. If you don't, I'm slipping you sleeping pills." His voice softened. "Three, you okay?"

Kyoya continued staring down at the floor, looking like a meek puppy. Tsuna sighed. "Just tell me. Honestly. And don't lie. I'll know."

Taking a small breath, Kyoya looked up slightly. "Thank you, Tsuna."

Tsuna grinned crookedly. "Yeah. Come on." He led Kyoya to the bedroom doors. "Lead the way to food, friend."

Kyoya perked up a little. "Friend?"

Tsuna laced his hands behind his head. "That's what I said. So, where's the kitchen?"

He smiled to himself when Kyoya quickly took the lead, his steps lighter than when he had entered the room. His Intuition hummed in approval.

 _ **Cloud. Storm. Safe.**_

If staying under Kyoya and Fon's protection would keep him safe, _fine_. But that didn't mean he had to like it in the long-run.

Still, when he saw a glimpse of Kyoya's hopeful face, it didn't sound _too_ bad.

* * *

 **A/N Well, things are kind of coming together? Sort of.**

 **Ohohoho, but this is where the fun will begin, peeps. You'll see. It'll be worth it. ;^)**

 **To clarify a bit: Yes, in some ways the Arcobaleno in this universe are closer to the Flames' "stereotypes" compared to the ones in Tsuna's original world, which are basically canon. But hey, Surgeon!Reborn ain't bad. Maybe…**

 **Thank you so much for reading! I hope to see you again in the next chapter.**

 **Have a lovely day~**

 **Little Miss Bunny**


	10. The Pitfall

" _Everything is okay in the end, if it's not ok, then it's not the end."_ – Anonymous

* * *

The house was silent. Aside from the servants' quiet shuffling, there was no other sign of life in the meticulously clean halls. All the blood and corpses had been cleaned up. Tsuna had to admit, this kind of fortitude was impressive. This household was anything but normal. It was as if the raid was just a dream, a mad figment of Tsuna's imagination; the faint smell of bleach and artificial plum blossoms and Kyoya's haggard face were the only indications that it happened.

When Kyoya slid the door open to an empty room, he ushered Tsuna inside, his hand hovering behind his back, as if he was afraid to touch him, and pointed at the small table already laid out and ready for him. Some porridge and a cup of steamy tea lay on top of a tray. Tsuna blinked when Kyoya sat him down on one of the green seat cushions. He looked down at the hot rice porridge. The light steam rose lazily in the air; a wooden spoon rested beside the bowl for him, too.

Kyoya sat down across from him, his gaze turned down to the table. He seemed nervous despite his relatively blank face. "Eat."

Tsuna raised a brow. After picking up the spoon, he scooped a small portion of porridge and blew it gently. The Intuition thrummed in the back of his mind, not completely silent but enough of a presence to remind Tsuna that it existed. Too bad it didn't go away. Mentally shaking his head, Tsuna took a tentative nibble and swallowed the warm, surprisingly tasty congee. "It's good," he said.

Kyoya's shoulders relaxed. He smiled slightly. "Good."

"Aren't you going to eat?"

"I already ate."

Tsuna lowered his gaze. "If you say so."

Mostly he ate in silence, his spoon clunking dully against the bowl, and let himself relax for the first time in a while. Outside, the trees rustled from the breeze. Tsuna peered out the window, wondering if it was cold or not. In the rare instances Tsuna fell sick, Verde would make porridge and feed him like a kid, much to Tsuna's embarrassment. Still, he wouldn't deny that it felt nice being taken care of. Skull would always come by to snuggle, the lucky immune dunce, and Lal Mirch would buy way too much medicine for one sick man to handle.

Tsuna's chest tightened before he forced himself to swallow more gruel. It felt much thicker going down his throat. His hand tightened around the spoon; he found himself staring at Kyoya, somehow seeing Fon in his place, with his gentle smile and kind eyes, things Tsuna rarely saw in the underworld. There was no one else there like Fon, who wouldn't kill just anyone for the sake of money or power. No, he kept his honor, a tiny beacon in the vast darkness of depraved morals. Tsuna missed him, missed everyone, missed _home_.

"What's wrong, little animal?" Kyoya said, snapping Tsuna out of his reverie. "Is it…not as good?"

Huffing a small laugh, Tsuna shook his head. "No, it's fine. It just tastes like my mom's."

He didn't know if Kyoya could tell if he was lying or not; his heartrate was even and Tsuna was a good liar himself, a survival trait that he honed for years. Still he shouldn't underestimate Kyoya. However it seemed like Kyoya still had a few ways to go. Tsuna couldn't help but be relieved. He wasn't ready or inclined to sharing who he was, ever.

"It's Mother's recipe," Kyoya said. "If I was sick, she made that for me."

"Oh, mine too." Tsuna didn't know if Nana actually did, but she seemed like the kind of mother to do it. He had a pretty limited amount of knowledge in that department. "I don't get sick a lot though." Mixings truths in a lie were typically the way to go. His lips curled into a small smile, almost teasing. "Did you?"

Kyoya's eyes flickered upwards, briefly resting on Tsuna's face, before he looked elsewhere. "No…"

Tsuna leaned forward. "Is that a question or an answer?"

"An answer."

Tsuna snorted. "Yeah, pretty convincing there." He leaned his chin on his fist. "I can see it though. Little Kyoya all sick and feverish in bed." He tapped his smiling lips in thought, ignoring Kyoya's small blush. "Now the question is if you're the cranky kind of sick or the whiny kind of sick. I'm leaning towards whiny."

"That's—I was _not_ _whiny_."

"Denying it makes it true."

"That is not how it works."

"The more you deny it, the more I'm convinced that it happened. Don't worry. You're still cute."

Kyoya's face was _this_ close to resembling a strawberry. Now if only Tsuna could get him to look like a tomato. "You're speaking nonsense."

Tsuna stifled a snort. "Oh, now we're pulling up our britches." He reached out to pat Kyoya's hand and snickered when the boy pulled away, as if he was burned. "It's okay. There's no shame there. We all go through changes in our lives, right?"

His Intuition hummed just as a small knock came from the door. Tsuna had fun figuring out if Kyoya was annoyed or relieved at the interruption. A bit of both. He was easy to read like Skull…

Tsuna frowned and scraped the last bit of porridge from his bowl before the door slid open. A servant bowed low, unwilling to meet Kyoya's irritated face. " _Kumicho_ is asking for your presence, young master."

"I will be there," Kyoya said, regaining his composure. "Leave."

The servant didn't need to be told again. After she left, Tsuna downed his tea like a shot and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. He felt a bit better. Though he was still hungry, at least his stomach wasn't empty now. "Alright, let's go," he said, standing up.

Kyoya followed suit. When they left the room, he leaned over to whisper in Tsuna's ear, "What are…britches?"

Tsuna groaned, but there was a smile dancing on his lips. "Pants, Kyoya. They're pants."

"Then what did it mean when you said I pulled up my…pants?" Tsuna had to stifle a laugh when Kyoya none-too-subtly patted his slacks to check that they were there. "I am wearing them."

"It's an expression."

"An expression of what?"

"That you're becoming a big boy."

Snickering, Tsuna ducked before Kyoya tried to whack him over the head.

* * *

None of the yakuza operatives were in the meeting room, which seemed more like a spare than an official setting. Tsuna assumed that the real one must be under renovations. He gave a small nod in greeting to Yuji, Asahi, and Reborn, and barely acknowledged Fon, which seemed to amuse the bastard; the two Arcobaleno were the only ones seated on the tea table. Another man, who looked like he could use a good shave, sat beside Reborn. Tsuna had found Dr. Shamal repulsive with his perverted ways—the man preyed on _girls_ for Christ's sake—and he just found the hitman _irritating_ after they met, even if he had reputable skills.

Sensing his discomfort, Kyoya stepped a little closer to Tsuna, their arms briefly brushing against each other. The Intuition didn't indicate that Shamal was any danger though, and Tsuna promised himself that he wouldn't be surprised anymore with any changes this world threw at him. He sat down at the end of the table with Kyoya doing the same beside him.

"You took your time, Kyoya," Fon said, his slight smile never wavering.

Kyoya tensed and kept his gaze down. His mouth opened to respond but Tsuna already beat him to the punch. "I'm feeling _fantastic_ , thanks," he said. "I had Kyoya take a shower because he was _covered_ in blood and I thought you wouldn't want the floors to get dirty. Killing two birds with one stone, you know? Upholding some integrity in this household and making sure Kyoya's ready to go. Also, did you know he makes some awesome porridge?"

Yuji's face was pinched, and he looked torn between laughing and looking aghast. Asahi did a better job hiding his amusement. Shamal openly stared at Tsuna as if he grew three heads while Reborn just sighed under his breath. Unperturbed by the brunet's spiel, Fon gestured at the tea pot. "Would you care for some tea?" he said.

"I think Tsuna's been drinking enough tea since he got here," Reborn said, ignoring Fon's critical gaze in favor of looking down at his cup of water. "I'm sure he doesn't want an upset stomach on top of recovering from some heavy internal injuries."

"Do you have something to say?" Fon said, his smile growing colder. Yuji and Asahi shifted in their seats. Shamal looked like he swallowed a lemon, but his hand hovered near his waist, covered by his long white coat. Tsuna's Intuition informed him that the man had a gun, and he had a feeling that Shamal wouldn't hesitate in using it.

"I already said my piece."

"I'm fine," Tsuna said awkwardly to mitigate the tension.

It worked somewhat when Reborn turned to him. "How are you feeling?"

"Better. My stomach's half-empty and I caught up on sleep." Tsuna would rather talk about the Intuition later when he and Reborn were alone.

The doctor nodded and gestured towards Shamal. "This is Shamal, my assistant. You haven't met yet."

The scruffy man nodded. His hovering hand now rested on his thigh. "Pleasure," he said curtly.

Nodding back in greeting, Tsuna turned his attention to the table. "So, is there a reason for me being here?"

Fon quickly regained control of the room. "Yes. We were just discussing damage control, as you would say."

Tsuna bit back a comment about how this wasn't relevant to him. His Intuition simply told him, "No, it's your business now, too", which made zero and perfect sense at the same time. And wow, what a polite "fuck your feelings". Rather than voicing his defiance out loud, Tsuna shifted on his seat to get comfortable, sitting cross-legged instead of on his knees. When Reborn raised a brow, Tsuna shrugged. "I'm positive I'm getting early onset arthritis. Trying to be nicer to my bones."

Kyoya furrowed his brows. "Your bones _are_ quite weak."

"Okay, I didn't ask for your opinion." Tsuna gestured vaguely in the air. "Continue with your…diabolical revenge plan."

Fon didn't remove his gaze once from Tsuna's face. It was slightly unnerving, even if the Intuition indicated that it shouldn't be worrying. At this point, Tsuna thought it was safe to say that he and the Intuition were two separate beings with different goals in mind (essence? Was the Intuition a thing? An entity?).

"As we were saying," Fon said smoothly, "23 of our men and women were killed along with 14 bystanders, who were sent to the hospital in critical condition. We received news that 5 died this morning." Tsuna grimaced. Whoever attacked the compound had no qualms about collateral damage. "Kiyo has informed me that 3 of her subordinates were killed in the clash. Her shops had been raided but nothing was stolen, though 4 of them are undergoing construction. The other areas are under similar conditions."

At the corner of Tsuna's eye, he noticed Kyoya's knuckles turning white over his lap. Without thinking, he reached out and placed a hand over them while maintaining eye-contact with Fon. "Okay," he said. "Do you know who did it?"

Fon took his sweet time sipping his tea then. "My men have been able to locate a few of their hideouts, but as foolish as they were, they were intelligent enough to leave their warehouses empty of evidence. However, we do have some theories."

Theories weren't enough. One wrong move and things would get horribly messy. When Goro had accidentally attacked an ally's warehouse, no amount of apology would ever mend the relationship their groups had. There were no true alliances, because the human condition prevented any sort of perfect harmony that lasted long enough. While Tsuna knew that Fon— _this_ Fon—wasn't patient, he hoped that it didn't mean that the man was _rash_.

"Someone mentioned…the Akasasoriand Hisuikumo yesterday," Tsuna said slowly.

Yuji pursed his lips. "Yes, but they're not in any condition to carry out this sort of attack." He hesitated for a moment, glancing at Tsuna worriedly. He was definitely unwilling to share this sort of information with him since Tsuna here was a _child_.

"I think we all agree to some degree here that I'm pretty much stuck with you, so it's fine to just say what you want to say. Not like there's anyone I can tell. Who'd believe me?"

Fon smiled unkindly. "And it should stay that way, yes?"

Yuji paled a little. "Brother, d—" He shut up quickly when Fon levelled him with an impressive blank glare.

"As Tsuna has said, he is very much stuck with us, which has already made him a potential target for what this group is aiming for. I believe that even Reborn would think it best for us to keep Tsuna here for protection."

Reborn looked unimpressed. "I'd rather not get involved in your affairs. Don't drag me into them."

"I'd prefer _shelter_ rather than _keep_ ," Tsuna deadpanned, "but it's the thought that counts, I guess." He had no intention of staying here. Living here was also out of the question.

Clearing his throat, Asahi proceeded to pick up his boss' slack as gently and non-assuming as he could. "As mentioned before, we had cut the Akasasori's resources by half a few weeks ago and no activity was reported on any transactions between them or their typical sources. The Hisuikumo had…a less-than-pleasant mutiny in the ranks that are keeping them well-distracted at the moment."

Frowning, Yuji averted his gaze. Tsuna felt like the man needed a serious hug. "Kageokami wouldn't do anything against Brother." Shadow Wolves, huh. "And Kinhebi…" Wow, Golden Serpents. Well, not like Goro was any better. He called themselves Midoribofuu, or Green Tempest. Needless to say, there wasn't much color in their lives.

"They would've been the leading contender," Fon said. "I don't think anyone has forgotten the stunt they pulled two years ago."

Tsuna blinked. Though he didn't want to be directly involved with the yakuza politics here, what with the way Fon mentioned that he was a potential target, plus the shitfest that happened last night, pretty much spelled trouble with a capital "T", he couldn't deny that his curiosity was piqued. "What stunt?" he said. Shamal seemed just as confused as he did while Reborn looked like he seriously didn't give a damn.

Yuji winced. He opened his mouth but closed it quickly, swallowing his words. Tsuna and Shamal of all people shared a brief, one-eyebrow-raised look before returning their attention to the other men. Well, if they didn't want to say anything, Tsuna wasn't going to push.

This time, Kyoya was the first to break the silence. "Kinhebi were culled accordingly."

Tsuna kind of didn't like where this was going. "Oh, okay." Kyoya tilted his head expectantly, as if waiting for another response, something else more substantial. Tsuna wasn't in the mood to indulge him, no matter how much the Intuition tried to make him probe. "I think that's all w—"

"They also tried to kill Brother," Yuji said quietly.

An unsavory gleam shone in Fon's eyes. "As we all know, every fool's mistake. Kyoya did well in culling them. However"—Kyoya's fists tightened, prompting a very telling whine from Tsuna's Flames at the boy's distress. It took every ounce of willpower to keep them contained. Judging from Reborn's surreptitious glance, it wasn't going very well—"there have been rumors that some members had managed to escape. They've succeeded in regrouping and building themselves from the ground up again."

It suddenly struck Tsuna as strange with how calm Fon was being in this situation. From what he'd observed so far, Fon didn't seem the type of person to take an attack like last night without retaliating instantly. Maybe he didn't give the Arcobaleno much credit, but something didn't sit right with him.

"What about that maid?" Tsuna asked cautiously. Kyoya bristled at the mention of the woman who had tried to take the brunet away, but Tsuna ignored him. "Did you manage to…find her or something?"

Yuji glanced at Fon, who merely nodded, before turning to Tsuna. "We're currently shadowing her movements. She's smart enough not to directly go back to the base of her group, but we have eyes on her 24/7. She hasn't moved since arriving at Shibuya. We don't think she and her accomplices will travel anytime soon." He looked awfully guilty, and the pieces somehow clicked in Tsuna's head.

"You knew who she was," he said.

Fon's smile stretched a little further; his eyes took on a darker, redder hue that sent shivers down Tsuna's spine. His Fon had never been so outright predatory, at least, not so _blatantly_. Surprisingly he had some tact in that department. "Yes, but she didn't know that we knew. Regardless of what you think of me, Tsuna, I am capable of remembering some vermin that catch my interest."

"I apologize that your life was endangered because of that, Tsuna-sensei," Yuji said, bowing a little in shame with Asahi following suit.

Tsuna couldn't help but stare awkwardly at the display. On one hand, he guessed it was nice that they cared about his well-being, but it was a little embarrassing to see… _this_. "It's okay," he said to mostly get them to _sit up_. "You don't have to apologize, Yuji-san." Oh, and if Reborn was smirking, Tsuna was going to wrangle his tiny little neck. "Seriously, it's all good—well, mostly. I'm alive, we're alive, and my mom thinks this is the greatest sleepover ever. It's seriously fine so, just, chins up." He laughed uneasily while the men slowly did as he said.

"We didn't outright predict that you'd be targeted," Fon said like nothing happened. "But it was a possibility considering the fact that your sudden appearance must've thrown that wretch off."

"We will do everything in our power to keep you safe while this situation is being handled, Tsuna-sensei," Yuji said firmly. " _This_ is why we asked you to come here, to discuss certain priorities and protocols that you can agree on."

This didn't really need much thought. Even the Intuition barely gave a pulse of agreement for Yuji's offer. Biting back a sigh, Tsuna nodded. "Okay. What were you thinking of?"

* * *

An hour or so trudged by before Tsuna was finally able to leave. That whole conversation was more like an arbitration than a simple have-at-it deal. He had learn three things over the course of it. One, negotiating with Fon was like talking to a fucking crosswalk voice that only knew one word. Two, Kyoya liked to puff his chest at the mention of his combat prowess, which…yeah, Tsuna could give that to him since the boy had beaten 23 men without breaking a sweat. And three, Yuji pulled off some killer puppy dog eyes, whether he knew it or not.

So that was how Tsuna had found himself grudgingly agreeing to staying for another day of the "wonderful" sleepover and being escorted to the Hibari Compound after school before being driven home. Tsuna had to explicitly point out that Nana was no idiot and she'd get suspicious if he stayed out too long. Plus he wasn't a fan of her meeting Kyoya (or anyone from his family) in the future.

"Tsuna, can you come with me for a check-up?" Reborn said, looking up at him from the floor. "I want to make sure your vitals are stable before I leave."

Tsuna's heart almost stopped. "Leave? You're leaving?" He mentally winced at how his voice raised an octave (or two or three).

Reborn's face betrayed nothing, not even when Kyoya stepped closer to Tsuna's side in a show of warning. "Yes, I have a patient to see in Marseilles." France—Reborn was leaving for France. The doctor tilted his head. "My agency isn't tied here."

Tsuna opened his mouth, already prepared with a retort that fell along the lines of "of course, I knew that, what am I, an idiot?", but they died quietly in his throat. "Oh," was all he said. "Kyoya, you can go. This won't take long." When Kyoya didn't budge, Tsuna sighed and patted the boy's cheek half-heartedly. "Kyoya, my sweet summer child, go off and frolic in the gardens or something, seriously. You need some more vitamin D on your skin. You're literally one hop away from being a vampire."

Shamal stared at Tsuna incredulously while Kyoya mumbled something under his breath. Though he eventually moved away, he lingered for a moment in the halls, then finally turned to leave. Tsuna couldn't help but roll his eyes. Kyoya looked more like a sulking child than a boy who could take down men twice his size. It reminded Tsuna of Skull whenever he couldn't run fast enough to get a hug from Tsuna first. Viper was the top contender, the most slippery one out of all of them, while Colonnello was a close second. Reborn was a sneak whenever he was around though, by whisking Tsuna away and locking the doors and windows to keep him all to himself…

"Follow me," a squeaky voice said, cutting through the warm memories. "It won't take long."

Tsuna straightened up. "Right."

Reborn and Shamal led him to another vacant room. Tsuna didn't recognize this part of the house—everything looked the same to him at this point—but it was undamaged and clean. A few scroll paintings hung on the plain walls, and there was a sliding door that Shamal opened revealing some parts of the garden outside. A cool breeze settled in the stuffy room. Reborn gestured at the tatami floor. "Sit," he said, with Leon crawling out of his pocket and onto his shoulder.

Tsuna plopped down and waited patiently for the doctor to get settled. "You seem to be in decent condition," Reborn said after finishing the check-up. Leon morphed back into his normal form from a stethoscope and settled comfortably in Reborn's hair. "Other than a weak nutrition and water intake, I recommend you rest and don't get involved in any strenuous activity."

Tsuna huffed. "I think that'd be more likely if I wasn't here." He looked pointedly at the room's entrance, knowing Kyoya was nearby, probably not too close to garner suspicion, but close enough. "I think my survival rate just dropped to the negatives."

Shamal scoffed, but his haggard face didn't carry any ill-will. "Kid, that's an understatement." He grumbled under his breath when Reborn gave him a small look.

"Don't call me kid," Tsuna said.

"Is there anything else that's been bothering you?" Reborn said, steering the conversation towards neutral territory. "You mentioned something about the Intuition before."

Tsuna grimaced. "Well, I was wondering if you knew how to get it to shut up. It's like a voiceless voice in my head and it's seriously driving me up the wall." The Intuition flared almost indignantly but Tsuna ignored it.

Reborn crossed his arms over his chest and pondered on it with a soft, thoughtful hum. "How frequent are these headaches?"

"They spike whenever the Intuition acts up. It's brief, probably two or three seconds."

Shamal pursed his lips. "Even two or three seconds can mean life or death."

Tsuna knew he meant well, even if Reborn gave the man a look that shut him up. "On a scale of one to ten, how's the pain generally?" Reborn asked.

Tsuna ran a hand through his hair. "Um, four. I'm gonna say four point six." He frowned. "It might go up though."

"And when it spikes?"

"A solid six point double-O."

"Do you experience any blurry vision or nausea?"

"No. Well, not so far anyway. It just hurts and goes away."

Leon clambered down to Reborn's open palm and opened his mouth wide before a bottle of pills came up. Tsuna had always been impressed by the chameleon, which could do everything from shapeshifting into solid objects to choking a man to death with nary a blink. Really, it was still a mystery where Reborn had got him, even if the man said Leon was from a pet shop. That was no normal chameleon.

"These are pills that have a dose of Rain Flames to lessen the pain," Reborn said. "One pill will be enough. Take it when your headaches act up too much."

"Any side effects?" Tsuna said dryly, turning the small bottle around to find any labels. There were none. "Is this even legal?" Honestly, he was more interested in how Reborn managed to create _flame_ pills for medicinal purposes. Flames worked according to the user's wishes and keeping them contained into small white capsules weren't exactly a walk in the park. Also, whose flames were these?

Reborn's lips slightly twitched. "The dose in one pill isn't enough to knock you out, but taking several will. I wouldn't advise it unless you want to sleep for a week. The dosage is enough in each pill for your headaches and lasts eight hours."

Tsuna shook the bottle and estimated that there were 20 pills inside. "What if I run out?"

Shamal pulled out a card from his coat pocket and handed it to Tsuna. "Send us a text. We can send more if you need, but they'll probably be delivered here since your mom…"

"Yeah, right." Tsuna accepted the card and read the fine, plain print: Reborn, MD. There wasn't much else on the white business card other than Reborn's name and a number underneath it. "Is this your number or…?"

Leon morphed into a pen for Reborn to use. The Arcobaleno reached over to scribble something down. Shamal blinked but didn't say anything. "That's Shamal's," Reborn said, returning the card. "Most of my correspondence goes through him. You should text every day to keep me updated on your condition. I'll do my best to gather as much information as I can on the Intuition to help and keep you informed. I can't guarantee I'll respond right away, but Shamal will be there as needed. You're also free to ask him any questions, too."

"Oh," Tsuna said, looking down at the card. "Is that a zero or just a fucked up six?"

Shamal coughed into his hand while Reborn deadpanned. "It's a three."

Honestly, Tsuna could barely make out Reborn's chicken scratch. He also didn't know how to react. His Reborn's penmanship was to die for, with its elegant loops and perfect spacing. Even the tail of his y's was infuriatingly aesthetic. "Oh," was all Tsuna could say.

"I need to leave for my flight," Reborn said as he stood up. He paused for a moment, his eyes roaming Tsuna's face thoughtfully. "I hoped to stay a little longer to explain more about Flames. Do me a favor, don't ask Fon. I doubt he'd actually explain anything properly or at all."

Tsuna snorted. After meeting Kyoya, he had a feeling that was the case. "You don't have to tell me twice."

"This might not be reassuring, but I wish I could do more to help you."

Tsuna's lips curled into a tiny smile. His Reborn had never been forthcoming with his concerns. "It's okay. I mean, I guess it was inevitable considering…my dad and everything."

"Although I'm not that type of doctor, don't hesitate in confiding with me. Shamal is more equipped in that department though, so you'll be able to get more progress with him. There's nothing to be ashamed about if you need help, Tsuna, especially with what you've been through."

Tsuna tilted his head. "Why would you go that far for me? I mean, I'm grateful but…"

Reborn levelled him with a steady gaze. His dark eyes were surprisingly honest, more so than Tsuna's Reborn would ever show. "Because you're my patient, and your health is my priority. You're also very young and impressionable. This isn't normal for someone your age and it shouldn't be."

Shamal seemed to adopt a somber look, his brows furrowed. Tsuna wanted to know more about this Reborn, why he became the way he is, but shoved the questions deep down in his chest. He didn't know if he'd be able to ask. "Thank you," he said quietly, "for everything."

"Don't thank me yet. You're still far from being perfectly healthy. If there's any questions you have, you can text me or Shamal and we'll try to answer them to the best of our ability."

Tsuna was almost afraid to ask. "Are you going to come back?"

"Yes, when my schedule's settled. I'll keep in touch."

"Yeah, have a safe flight."

"Thank you. Take care, Tsuna."

And just like that, Reborn was gone from Tsuna's life again.

* * *

Sunday passed by without a hitch. No signs or activity from the traitor maid or the insurgent group. Nana was more than willing to let Tsuna stay at the Hibari Compound for another day, but made him promise to return on Monday early night. It wasn't hard to say yes.

The compound had been more or less boring. Tsuna had thought that he was being driven insane by the idleness, and Kyoya sticking to him like glue when he wasn't on patrol wasn't helping either. Somehow Tsuna managed to survive for Monday. "You know, it's actually impressive that you made me _miss_ school," he said, exiting the car.

Kyoya perked up a little. "I am impressive?"

Tsuna glared at any student who looked at them. "Never mind. Forget I said anything."

The day passed by sluggishly. Lunchtime was also uneventful. Tsuna and Kyoya ate outside, away from the classroom and their classmates. Their incessant chatter, while a welcoming buzz, had become grating in Tsuna's ears and he just needed some air. They didn't talk much aside from Kyoya urging Tsuna to finish everything in his bento and the brunet's snarky jabs. It was almost…tame, comfortable. Tsuna wanted to hate it, the way his Flames cooed at being in close proximity with Kyoya.

During math, he completely zoned out. He had taken one of Reborn's pills after lunch and it actually worked. It felt strange when the Rain Flames briefly dispersed in his body, as if searching for the source of his troubles, before they surged to his head and worked wonders with his nerves. The headache dulled quickly but it still thrummed behind his ears. That would mean it was less of a physical problem.

Closing his eyes, Tsuna leaned onto his fist and let himself be lulled by the sounds around him: pencils scratching lightly against paper, the chalk tapping ceaselessly against the board, his classmates' quiet breaths, the teacher's dull voice. His hair tickled his cheeks when a small breeze flitted through an open window. Some students ran around the field outside for P.E., kicking a soccer ball.

It was nice, this sort of stagnancy. Tsuna hadn't had a moment of peace in a while, not even before the whole Decimo fight came up. While he hadn't been there to see Decimo grow, Tsuna already had enough on his plate with his clinic. The Decimo title-grab hadn't been any of his business nor did it pique any interest. The last thing he wanted was to get involved in a power struggle. Well, not like it was any much of one. Nono's sons had been dead for a while and Xanxus wasn't his _actual_ child; plus the Varia leader had been frozen in impenetrable ice for a few years until Viper approached Tsuna and asked him to get the man out. Viper rarely asked for anything.

Soon his thoughts wandered near murky territory. What were they doing now since he brought them back? Were they working with Decimo's guardians on taking down Byakuran? Were Reborn and Colonnello fighting like usual or sticking it out together with gritted teeth until everything was over? Did Viper stay awake to keep the nightmares away? How long would it take until Fon snapped? Did the bunker even have any tea? Would Verde work with the Vongola scientists without making them feel like complete idiots every half-second? How long would it take before Skull got too antsy and left the bunker to go scout Millefiore territory, making excuses along the lines of "why the hell not"? Was Lal Mirch able to keep them sane or had she teetered off the edge first?

More and more questions swirled in his head, a dizzying loop that seemed to pound every inch of his skull until he was left with nothing but a numbing ache in the back of his throat. No, he thought. That wasn't the way it is.

Lal Mirch would plant her feet firmly in the ground and bash the idiots' skulls so they'd start functioning properly. Skull would always come back, no matter where he went, with information on the littlest things to make sure they'd survive. Verde would suck it up and just do his best to assist the scientists and keep them all on the same page, churning out weapons and protective gear to ensure everyone's safety. Fon would bear every second with the patience of a saint, and he wouldn't cry over some tea-less pantry. Viper would sleep, even if it was only closing his eyes for a few minutes, and push forward without stopping. Colonnello would think twice about what he had to do, then move accordingly without goading anyone into a fight, especially Reborn. And Reborn… Reborn would fight tooth and nail until the bitter end.

They'd continue to fight without qualms, even if he wasn't there, because they were better than that, better than moping around and doing nothing. And they'd be damned if they let Byakuran win. Tsuna would be, too. The Intuition flared. He sensed it before it even happened, Kyoya raising his foot to kick the back of his chair, and bolted up from his seat.

A hushed silence fell in the room. Tsuna stared at Aoki-sensei, who mirrored his surprised face. The bespectacled man cleared his throat politely. "Is there something you need, Sawada-kun?" he said, his voice quiet as always. It sounded louder in the silence.

"I—I need to use the bathroom," Tsuna said, scowling when some of the students snickered. "Can I…?"

"Oh, erm, yes, you may."

Muttering his thanks, Tsuna quickly left the bathroom. He hissed under his breath for Kyoya not to follow, knowing the boy got the message. Whether he listened to it or not was something Tsuna didn't want to get into. His steps squeaked lightly in the brightly-lit hallways, and it didn't take long before he rounded the corner and pushed the bathroom door open. It was empty. He could hear the P.E. students yelling and kicking the ball around from outside the open window.

Quickly, he turned on the sink and splashed cold water on his face. He let the water run for another minute, letting the rushing sound fill the quiet air, and stared into the mirror. A small, young face stared back, a haunting guise from the past—except this was how he looked _now_. The sink knob squeaked when he turned it off.

For another minute or two, he gripped the sink and breathed slowly in a steady rhythm. Fon's calm face appeared in his mind; the man's eyes were closed as he breathed with him, a reassuring metronome of poise. Sighing, Tsuna reached inside his pockets to fish out his phone. He might as well stay here until math ended. There was no point remaining in class when he wasn't even paying attention. He didn't have to think far to count how many times he had to use the quadratic equation in his life: fucking zero.

His inbox was still empty, which, to be honest, was disappointing. Tsuna had saved Reborn's number as soon as the doctor left and messaged him on Sunday. It took about 12 hours to fly from Japan to France; maybe Reborn and Shamal were jetlagged. But with the headache pills Reborn had given him, Tsuna was pretty sure Reborn might've made some other pills to deal with jetlag.

Huffing, Tsuna typed another message anyways: **Ate lunch about an hour ago and took one of the pills. Its seriously amazing btw. Headache calmed down. I hope you had a safe flight. Heard jetlag can be tough.**

He sent it before he thought about changing anything. He didn't mention that the headache hadn't gone down 100%; it was something he wanted to think about on his own. While he was grateful for Reborn's help, he preferred to keep some secrets to himself.

His fingers lingered over the keypad, gently tracing the slight indentation of each number. A dirty yellow pacifier flashed in his mind. Tsuna should've picked up the fucking phone but Decimo decided to be an absolute idiot and…

No, he thought, his grip tightening. He wasn't going to wallow and moan about shit not going his way. But still, his chest ached. What had Reborn wanted to say? Inform them of some development in Byakuran's plan? Remind Tsuna that he had to eat? Ask how Decimo was doing? It was frustrating to be unable to keep these poisonous thoughts contained. They just sapped the confidence out of him. Granted that it took Tsuna ten minutes to re-construct his pathetic dignity again, it still made him feel like shit.

"Just…one last thing," he mumbled to himself, his thumb gliding across the keypad. It was stupid, but the Intuition, which had been quiet throughout his mental turmoil, flickered encouragingly.

He dialed in Reborn's number, _his_ Reborn. The small combination was imprinted vividly in his head and when he saw the numbers looking back at him from the screen, Tsuna could barely contain a small smile. It had taken him _months_ to actually get the hitman's real number (and Tsuna was proud that he managed to get it _without_ paying Viper, even if it irked him that his Mist somehow had it before he did).

Without hesitation, Tsuna pressed the call button. He knew that his Reborn wouldn't pick up the phone, but this was a way to sever any more ties he had with his past. He was here, they weren't. It was a little pathetic that he needed more validation when he encountered plenty already, but this was the big leap—and he was going to fucking take it.

He could barely breathe when someone picked up. The call barely dialed—and he was especially unprepared to hear loud, booming bass on the other end. It sounded like…a club. A raucous cheer roared in the background coupled with clinking glasses.

"— _ought it'd take fucking forever for you to call,_ " a rough, clearly inebriated voice said in Italian.

Tsuna was about to hang up but the Intuition told him to fucking stay put. He could only freeze when the man said, " _Come on, Pietro. I know you don't own a cat, and I'm not in the mood to fuck around."_ The man laughed, all high and shrill, that grated on Tsuna's ears. He had to pull the phone away before the man loudly continued, " _Who wants to fuck your sorry ass? Even your ugly cow of a mother wouldn't suc—_ "

Tsuna just hung up. The Intuition thrummed ceaselessly in the back of his mind, but he didn't care. He clicked his tongue. Yeah, he wasn't in the mood to hear any more. If anything, that was a nice send-off, however fucked up it was.

* * *

"Are you alright, little animal?"

"Yeah. Just had an upset stomach."

Kyoya furrowed his brows but decided not to push. Wonderful, he was learning. "Was it the pill?"

Tsuna sighed and rested his head back against the car seat. "No, pill's fine. Really, Kyoya, don't worry about it. I'll live." He watched the streets blur by out the window and focused on the whooshes of cars driving past them. Pedestrians walked about on the sidewalk, entering and leaving stores in a continuous flood of movement. The sky was blue and cloudless, with an annoyingly bright sun.

Kyoya lightly huffed beside him and just left it at that. They didn't speak for a moment while the driver drove smoothly around traffic. Leaning his head against the window, Tsuna scrolled through his inbox. Still no responses yet. While he replied to Nana, the Intuition unexpectedly _burned_. Tsuna looked up in time to see them approaching a highway bridge.

"Take another route," he said.

"I'm sorry?" the driver said.

Tsuna tensed. The Intuition was practically _screaming_. "Find another goddamn _route_! Don't take the bridge!"

"There's only a one-way! Please sit back, Tsuna-sensei!"

"Does it look like I fucking care?"

"What's wrong?" Kyoya said, pulling Tsuna back. "L—" He went rigid. Tilting his head, he stared at the back of the driver's seat.

Tsuna gritted his teeth when the traffic light turned green and the driver, confused, drove straight ahead—right onto the fucking bridge. He looked out the window, his eyes flitting around to find any danger. "Kyoya," he said.

"Three vehicles," Kyoya said. "Each has three men."

Before Tsuna could retort, a dingy car drove up beside them. His stomach sank. Their window rolled down before a gun peeked out. A loud pop cracked in the air. Tsuna yelped when Kyoya leapt on top of him. The tires screeched and the car swerved sharply to the left. His body shook from the impact, and he grabbed onto Kyoya's shirt while the car turned and rolled endlessly down the road. Glass shattered everywhere, a few shards nicking Tsuna's cheek. He could sense the thrum of Kyoya's flames proliferating the muscle fibers in his body, just like how Skull did it.

The car skidded on the hood until it thumped down on its side to a stop. Tsuna's ears rang, and his breaths came out short. His body trembled against Kyoya from the shock, but the Intuition said it was best to stay with him.

"Are you okay, little animal?" Kyoya said quietly in his ear, his voice strained. Shit, Kyoya's senses must be going crazy.

Tsuna let out a shuddering breath. "Peachy. You?"

Kyoya huffed. "I will live."

Quickly, Kyoya unbuckled Tsuna's seatbelt and caught him as he fell from the awkward position. He kicked the door open and carefully helped him out. Glass shards and debris crunched underneath their feet. A little disoriented, Tsuna stumbled before Kyoya helped steady him. The air smelled like oil and smoke. It took him a few seconds to realize that the car's hood was on fire. Other vehicles on the bridge had skidded to a halt; some were overturned from the collision.

"Come," Kyoya said, tugging him away.

Tsuna's breath hitched. He looked over his shoulder to see some men closing in on them. He widened his eyes when he noticed one of them held a fucking _grenade launcher_. "Kyoya!"

The boy was already moving before Tsuna called his name. Swiftly, Kyoya grabbed Tsuna and picked up the car door just as one of the men shot a grenade at them. The car door erupted in purple flames a second too late. The grenade exploded upon impact, sending the boys flying over the bridge.

The wind whistled sharply around them, whipping through their hair, and Kyoya pulled Tsuna closer to his chest before they plummeted to the ground. Screeching cars swerved around them when they skidded some ways down the road. Kyoya hissed softly when he took the brunt of the impact, but didn't let Tsuna go.

"Kyoya, can you hear me?" Tsuna said too loudly. His ears just wouldn't shut the fuck up. "Kyoya!" Shit, did Kyoya know how to use his flames properly yet, or did Tsuna have to skin a Storm Arcobaleno alive?

The Intuition roared. When Tsuna looked up, the men clad in black were looking down at them, all of them wearing masks. They aimed their guns at the boys before a volley of bullets cracked the air.

* * *

 **A/N Well, it's been a while, hasn't it? :'^)**

 **So there's some development here, both bad and good, as per usual. Some more Kyoya fluff (he needs to be protected, ahaha). Hopefully the pacing's not too slow or anything. That was one of my concerns for this story. Let me know!**

 **Thank you for reading! I hope to see you again in the next chapter.**

 **Have a lovely day~**

 **Little Miss Bunny**


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